2024's Best Games Let Me Figure It Out

This year, I decided I'd finally play 2022's Case of the Golden Idol, a mystery game that thrusts you onto the scene of a murder moments after it's happened. You pan through several screens, absorb every detail you possibly can, gather clues in the form of nouns and verbs, and make logic-based deductions by filling in the missing details in passages that tell the story of what occurred there. There are systems in place to guide you in the right direction, and the game begins quite simply, but by its end, I was being pushed to my absolute limit. The first few cases took all of about 10-25 minutes, but the final one in the game seemed to stretch across the span of an entire night. My head was positively bursting with possible motives and culprits, and kudos to Case of the Golden Idol for allowing me the room to be wrong about these cases until I eventually divined the right permutation of terms and cracked the case. It was one of the most frustrating ends of a game ever, and I was enamored of the whole experience.

I bring up Case of the Golden Idol and this frustration because, overwhelmingly, many of 2024's best games provided me with that very same feeling. These stellar titles, like Animal Well, Rise of the Golden Idol, and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, are composed of what seems like countless of the most nefarious and confounding puzzles I've come across, some of which still vex and evade me to this day. And yet, despite that recurring headache--brought on by slamming my head into a proverbial wall over and over again--I wouldn't trade the experiences I had with them for anything.

I was wrong a lot in Rise of the Golden Idol, 2024's sequel to the aforementioned Case. I frequently confused names and aliases, and as the levels grew in scale (and the scenarios grew in complexity), I missed a lot of smaller details in the immaculately rendered environs that had been planted to provide insight and direction. I misunderstood the events of the game on numerous occasions, and was more surprised than usual at the revelations that were revealed by a level's end. Rise of the Golden Idol was thoroughly frustrating, and yet it's clearly one of the best games I've played all year because when I pushed it, it pushed back.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Topics

Celtics vs. 76ers odds, score prediction: 2024 NBA Christmas Day picks, best bets by proven computer model

SportsLine's model revealed its NBA picks and predictions for Wednesday's Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics matchup on Christmas Day
CBS Sports - 10h
Mavericks vs. Timberwolves odds, score prediction: 2024 NBA Christmas Day picks, best bets by proven model

SportsLine's model just revealed its Christmas Day NBA picks for the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Dallas Mavericks
CBS Sports - 13h
Chiefs' Chris Jones to miss Christmas Day game vs. Steelers; D.J. Humphries also out for Kansas City

Humphries (hamstring) will miss his third straight game with Jones (calf) sidelined as well
CBS Sports - 13h
One Of Remedy's Best Action Games Is Free For 24 Hours On The Epic Games Store

Since it's the festive season, Epic is once again giving away a free game every day. The Epic Games Store continues to give away a free game each week, and this week is another nice find with a ...
GameSpot - 14h
2024's Hidden Gems: The Best Games You May Have Missed (Or Never Heard Of)

Odds are, you know the big games in a given year. If you regularly play games, it's hard not to at least hear the names of the latest releases from big publishers, which spend huge sums of money to ...
GameSpot - 14h
‘It changed my idea of what games can be’ – the 31 games readers couldn’t put down in 2024

From the grisly Space Marine 2 to the glorious Metaphor: ReFantazio, it’s time for Pushing Buttons subscribers to share their games of the year. Happy Christmas, Pushing Buttons readers! My sincere ...
The Guardian - 15h
11 Best Beard Trimmers (2024): Full Beards, Hair, Stubble

These beard tools deliver a quality trim for all types of facial hair.
Wired - 17h
10 Best Beauty Box Subscriptions, Tested and Reviewed (2024)

A beauty subscription box feels like a monthly present. These are our favorites.
Wired - 18h
In 2024, We Went All-In On Card Games

Most mornings, I stumble out of bed, grab my phone, and crack open some Pokemon packs. Over the last month, I've been consumed by the routine of booting up Pokemon TCG Pocket, a mobile adaptation ...
GameSpot - 1d
10 of the best sports photos of 2024: Iconic images from the Olympics, Super Bowl and more

It was an incredible year in sports, which means 2024 saw a plethora of iconic images from around the world that captured the biggest moments from the Olympics, the Super Bowl and much more. Check ...
Yahoo Sports - 1d
The Best Boss Fights Of 2024

2024 saw players battling everything from smoky-headed world-enders to really, really big snakes. 2024 has seen the release of several classic game remakes, along with some incredible DLC ...
GameSpot - 1d
'It still bugs me': Ohio State will be out for revenge against Oregon

The Buckeyes were dominant in their first-round matchup with Tennessee. Now they're turning their attention to the College Football Playoff's top seed.
ESPN - 1d
It Was a Record Year for Dating Apps. They Still Don’t Have It Figured Out

Suddenly, every possible dating and hookup app for every possible scenario exists—AI girlfriends, kink-positive polyamory, gay cruising. Why does it feel like none of them are the answer?
Wired - 1d
Mel Robbins and ‘The Let Them Theory’

The self-help phenom’s new book is all about letting others do as they may. Can she follow her own advice?
The New York Times - 1d
The Best TV Shows You Missed in 2024

Diarra from Detroit, The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh—these are the shows you might not have watched in 2024, but definitely still should.
Wired - 2d
The 10 Best Movies You Missed in 2024

From The Bikeriders to The Order, these are the movies you should watch before the year is through.
Wired - 2d
GameSpot's Top Ten Games Of 2024

GameSpot brings you our staff picks for the best 10 games of 2024. Timestamps: 00:00 Astro Bot 03:30 Balatro 06:15 Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree 08:25 Helldivers 2 10:55 Indiana Jones and The ...
GameSpot - 2d
The Best Pets And Animal Companions In Video Games: 2024 Edition

Pets: They're not just critters that add to our monthly expenses. They're members of the family that we adore. Our love of cute furballs in real life also extends to how we view them in the games ...
GameSpot - 2d
The Best Xbox Games Of 2024 According To Metacritic

We're four years into the current Xbox Series X|S generation, and in 2024, it was business mostly as usual for Microsoft's console brand. While the biggest news this year related to Xbox was a new ...
GameSpot - 3d
9 Best French Presses (2024): Plastic, Glass, Stainless Steel, Travel

The humble French press is affordable, effective, and hard to mess up. Here are our favorites to make your morning cup of coffee.
Wired - 3d
The Best PC Games Of 2024 According To Metacritic

PC has continued to see more games releases from Sony and Microsoft, which, combined with all of the exclusives the platform gets, makes it a great place to play. While Nintendo is an exception, ...
GameSpot - 4d
14 Best Planners: Weekly and Daily Notebooks & Accessories (2024)

Digital tools are not always superior. Here are some WIRED-tested agendas and notebooks to keep you on track.
Wired - 4d
Best Running Shoes (2024): Asics, Hoka, Nike, On Running

We clocked thousands of test miles to bring you the best running shoes for every pace, ability, and running goal.
Wired - 4d
The 25 Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (December 2024)

It's a Wonderful Life, Merry Little Batman, and My Old Ass are just a few of the movies you should be watching on Amazon Prime Video this week.
Wired - 4d
The Best RPGs Of 2024 According To Metacritic

The best role-playing games are the ones that effortlessly transport you to faraway lands, and in 2024, there was no shortage of fantasy adventures in this genre. This is a category of video games ...
GameSpot - 4d
One Of Remedy's Best Action Games Is Free For 24 Hours On The Epic Games Store

Since it's the festive season, Epic is once again giving away a free game every day. The Epic Games Store continues to give away a free game each week, and this week is another nice find with a ...
GameSpot - 14h
Spurs vs. Knicks odds, score prediction: 2024 NBA Christmas Day picks, best bets by proven computer model

SportsLine's model just revealed its NBA picks and predictions for the Knicks vs. Spurs game on Christmas Day
CBS Sports - 15h
2024 Week 17 NFL picks, odds, best bets from advanced model: This 5-way football parlay pays out 25-1

SportsLine's Model reveals its top Week 17 NFL picks, NFL best bets, NFL parlay picks, NFL parlay card, NFL predictions, and 25-1 football parlay
CBS Sports - 16h
Steelers' Pickens set to return after 3 games out

Steelers wide receiver George Pickens is off the injury report and set to play in Wednesday's game against the Chiefs.
ESPN - 1d
Paris was the Dude: 2024 Olympics were right Games at perfect time

The French capital overcame issues including an opening ceremony deluge to deliver 17 days of joyous madness. Four months after Paris 2024’s spectacular finale, starring Tom Cruise abseiling off ...
The Guardian - 1d
From Moo Deng to Me Espresso: it’s the 2024 bumper pop culture quiz of the year

Do you know your hot rodent boyfriends, which celebrity is selling feet pics on OnlyFans and who fell off a stage this year? Then this is the quiz for you Continue reading...
The Guardian - 1d
Twisters! Tennis! Transformations! The best movie moments of 2024

From edge-of-seat chases to sexy role-playing, Guardian writers pick their most memorable scenes from films released in the US this year. Spoilers ahead . Amy Adams ’s canine transformation in ...
The Guardian - 1d
The Breakdown awards: best rugby matches, players and quotes of 2024

The best and worst of the last 12 months and hopes for 2025 in our review of the year in rugby union. 1 Antoine Dupont (France, Toulouse, France sevens) 2 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa) 3 ...
The Guardian - 1d
The 20 best podcasts of 2024

Is Avril Lavigne really dead? Can Michael Sheen save us from chemical poisoning? And exactly how X-rated does Lily Allen get? Here are our top picks of the year’s hottest podcasts. It’s almost 40 ...
The Guardian - 1d
The best of the long read in 2024

Our 20 favourite pieces of in-depth reporting, essays and profiles from the year. Nicholas Saunders was a counterculture pioneer with an endless stream of quixotic schemes and a yearning to spread ...
The Guardian - 1d
The video games you may have missed in 2024

A returning classic, a Love Island send-up and an answer to the age-old question: can you fry eggs atop Mount Everest? The year’s best games that might have passed you by. • More on the best ...
The Guardian - 2d
2024 NFL Christmas Day: How to watch the Chiefs vs. Steelers game

Here's how to watch the Chiefs vs. Steelers game on Christmas Day.
Yahoo Sports - 2d
From constant scandals to its best shows ending – how 2024 turned into the BBC’s annus horribilis

With star names such as Gary Lineker, Kirsty Wark and Mishal Husain leaving, a slew of others embroiled in legal troubles and a sharp drop in income, this has been a dreadful 12 months for the ...
The Guardian - 2d
The Best Street Style of 2024

Three continents, six countries, seven cities and endless inspiration.
The New York Times - 3d