It\u2019s been a bit of a rough year for PlayStation exclusives and the studios that make them. While The Final Shape<\/em> was generally lauded as an excellent concluding chapter to Destiny 2<\/em>\u2019s current story arc, Bungie was faced with all kinds of setbacks including canceled projects and layoffs<\/a>. Elsewhere, Sony\u2019s Firewalk Studios launched Concord<\/em><\/a>, unlaunched it<\/a>, then closed permanently<\/a> within the space of a few months after the hero shooter failed to gain traction in a glutted market.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n That said, PlayStation still came through this year with a slate of excellent games that will hopefully demonstrate that there\u2019s an appetite for more than just live-service shooters.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n XDefiant<\/em><\/a>, Foamstars<\/em><\/a>, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League<\/em><\/a>, Concord<\/em> \u2014 2024 has been littered with the bones of live-service shooters that came, went, or are limping along with little fanfare and even fewer players. But Helldivers 2<\/em><\/a> <\/em>was something special. It could be the game\u2019s humorous over-the-top take on political propaganda, the developers at Arrowhead Game Studios fully leaning into the bit, or the regular content updates including the new Omens of Tyranny update<\/a> that launched in early December. But Helldivers 2<\/em> managed to be the one live-service multiplayer shooter this year (that doesn\u2019t have Call of Duty<\/em> in the title) that has the juice to compete against the big forever games like Apex Legends<\/em> and Fortnite<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n FromSoftware has managed to keep the Elden Ring<\/em> party going with the release of Shadow of the Erdtree<\/em><\/a>. The DLC is massive, stuffed with ass-beating enemies and so much delicious lore, all taking place over a map that is much bigger than what director Hidetaka Miyazaki called \u201cthe size of Limgrave<\/a>.\u201d Truly, Erdtree<\/em> feels more like a straight-up sequel to Elden Ring<\/em> than a mere expansion of it \u2014 which is probably what Elden Ring Nightreign<\/em><\/a> <\/em>is.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Dragon Age: The Veilguard<\/em> took 10 years and a bunch of strife at BioWare to launch.\u00a0There was no guarantee that it would live up to the reputation the series has established \u2014 but it did<\/a>. Veilguard<\/em> is exemplary of the Dragon Age<\/em> series\u2019 strengths: characters you come to care for and choices that devastate both them and you<\/a>. Layered on top of that is a seriously detailed skill tree with a loot system that feels strangely like a Diablo<\/em> game. Veilguard<\/em>\u2019s combat empowers you to customize your class to a level of specificity I\u2019ve never seen in a Dragon Age<\/em> game before, making it an interesting iteration of the standard warrior, rogue, mage RPG system. There was a concern that Veilguard<\/em> would be overshadowed by last year\u2019s Baldur\u2019s Gate 3<\/em><\/a>, and while Veilguard<\/em> doesn\u2019t seem to have that kind of runaway success, I\u2019m pleased as hell that, in two years, I got two wonderful, life-absorbing RPGs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Final Fantasy VII Rebirth<\/em><\/a> continues Square Enix\u2019s attempt at adapting one of the greatest RPGs of all time to suit modern consoles and gaming audiences. This second entry in the great FFVII <\/em>trilogy project takes over as the gang escapes Midgar into the wider world, and damn what a wide world it was. Every aspect from the original Final Fantasy VII<\/em> has been expanded and fully fleshed out, either with more story or with a fancy new minigame. Speaking of minigames, Rebirth<\/em> is less about the events of FFVII<\/em> Disk 2 and more a Queen\u2019s Blood<\/em> delivery system<\/a>, proving that Square Enix is really just a collectible card game developer in disguise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Remaking a classic game is always a tricky thing. A developer needs to attempt to capture what made the original so beloved, while also updating it for new audiences. And that conflict is especially fraught when you\u2019re dealing with a genre-defining game like Silent Hill 2<\/em><\/a>. But Bloober Team did a surprisingly solid job with this remake, ensuring that the idiosyncratic survival horror experience looked and felt at home on modern platforms, while still retaining most of the scares and tone of the original. The remake is a little cleaner than the PS2 game it\u2019s based on, but it\u2019s also less frustrating to play. And most importantly, it still mostly nails those foggy vibes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n There\u2019s never been a game I\u2019ve instantly clicked with more than Astro Bot<\/em><\/a>. Going back to my first demo with the game at Summer Game Fest 2024, I knew this had something special. Astro Bot<\/em> is a well-crafted platformer that has players traveling through the galaxy to find the scattered pieces of a PS5 spaceship and its stranded crewmates. Though it pays tribute to the games of PlayStation\u2019s 30-year history and features really neat homages to their gameplay, Astro Bot <\/em>is also a love letter to joy. Every aspect of its design \u2014 from its music to its sound effects to its bright and cheerful graphics <\/a>\u2014 is a reminder that there is still so much love in the world that aches to be discovered. Astro Bot <\/em>was my game of the year from the second I rolled credits, and its GOTY win at this year\u2019s Game Awards<\/a> was richly deserved.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHelldivers 2<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Dragon Age: The Veilguard<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Silent Hill 2<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Astro Bot<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n