The hosts dive into their favorite games of the year, inviting listeners to share their picks. They discuss the enchanting 'Animal Well' and its unique mechanics, while also exploring the remake of 'Silent Hill 2' and its blend of horror and emotional depth. Celebrating 'Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown,' they highlight its vibrant art and time-manipulation gameplay. They also share laughs over the chaotic fun in 'Helldivers 2' and marvel at the transformative world of 'Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.' Don't forget to vote for your own game of the year!
The podcast features a diverse selection of 2024's top games, showcasing titles that range from indie projects to major blockbusters.
Animal Well stands out for its unique metroidvania style, emphasizing exploration and puzzle-solving in a minimalist design without explicit directions.
The Silent Hill 2 remake is praised for its faithful recreation of the original while enhancing its horror elements and emotional storytelling.
Metaphor: Re-Fantasio impresses with vibrant fantasy aesthetics and an engaging combat system, reminiscent of the Persona franchise's style.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth captivates players with its rich narrative, character development, and vibrant world, enhancing familiar series elements.
Deep dives
Game of the Year Selections
The hosts dive into their personal picks for the Game of the Year, highlighting their top selections from 2024 for the PS5. Each member presents four games, contributing to a total of twelve titles that represent the cream of the crop of the year's offerings. The discussions reveal the diversity of choices, ranging from indie gems to blockbuster hits, and emphasize how the gaming landscape has thrived over the past year. The community is encouraged to participate by voting for their favorite game among the selections, promising to unveil the official winner in a future episode.
Unique Mechanics of Animal Well
Animal Well is praised as a standout title that combines exploration with clever puzzle mechanics, emphasizing its unique metroidvania style. The game immerses players in a mysterious underground environment where intuitive problem-solving is key, as players must navigate without explicit prompts or dialogue. The experience is enriched through a minimalist design, encouraging discovery and experimentation with mechanics that reveal new paths and tools as players progress. Its innovative approach requires community engagement, particularly for certain trophies, thereby fostering a collaborative atmosphere within the gaming community.
The Emotional Impact of Silent Hill 2 Remake
The Silent Hill 2 remake is celebrated for its faithful recreation of the original while introducing modern enhancements that amplify its horror elements and emotional depth. The hosts acknowledge the delicate themes and artistry that underpin the gameplay, highlighting how the remake stays true to the psychological torment depicted in the original. Subtle character design changes during progression enhance the narrative, showcasing the emotional toll of the protagonist's journey. Effective sound design reinforces the chilling atmosphere, ensuring that even returning players experience renewed fear and tension.
Adventure and Style in Metaphor: Re-Fantasio
Metaphor: Re-Fantasio is lauded for its vibrant fantasy setting and intriguing combat mechanics reminiscent of the Persona series. The game features archetypes that characters summon during battles, with flashy anime-style transformations heightening the excitement of encounters. Its combat system cleverly allows players to engage with enemies in real-time, simplifying the grinding process and making it more fluid. The engaging story, coupled with character relationships that are pivotal to gameplay, fosters a rich experience that keeps players invested in every aspect of the journey.
The Return of Prince of Persia
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown marks a return to form for the series, offering players a pure metroidvania experience filled with stunning visuals and engaging combat mechanics. As players unlock new skills to navigate beautifully crafted environments, the pacing and progression feel perfectly balanced, allowing for satisfying gameplay. Unique aesthetics, including a particular level featuring frozen naval battles, enhance the immersive world-building. The game successfully crafts a sense of achievement and empowerment, making every skill unlocked feel significant in both movement and combat.
The Wonders of Dragon's Dogma 2
Dragon's Dogma 2 stands out for its emergent gameplay, allowing players to create both their character and their AI companions known as pawns. The charm comes from the hilarious and unpredictable adventures that unfold, with memorable encounters that can arise from simple actions in the open world. Players frequently forge bonds with their pawns through humorous interactions and shared experiences, creating a unique personal touch to each playthrough. The game’s dynamic world and emergent narratives ensure that no two players’ journeys are alike, fostering joyous and spontaneous moments in gameplay.
Balatro: The Roguelite Card Game
Balatro cleverly combines traditional poker mechanics with roguelite elements, challenging players to build powerful decks to progress through increasingly difficult opponents. Gameplay focuses on creating poker hands while navigating dynamic scores and mechanics introduced by Joker cards, allowing players to develop unique strategies with each play. The accessibility of a one-hour demo entices players to engage with the cardinal mechanics, proving addictive and rewarding. The game's simple yet polished design ensures it captivates fans of both card games and roguelite genres.
A New Era with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth captivates players with its rich storytelling and character development while introducing new gameplay mechanics and job roles. Following Ichiban's journey, players explore a vibrant world that flourishes with side quests, engaging mini-games, and nuanced character interactions. The game successfully blends familiar elements from the franchise while introducing new characters that enhance the narrative experience. Players are drawn deeper into the emotional arcs and camaraderie, making it a memorable installment in the beloved series.
Astrobot: A Platforming Marvel
Astrobot is hailed as an incredibly polished platformer that captures the essence of fun and creativity through its level design and responsive controls. The inclusion of innovative gadgets enhances the gameplay experience, with levels that challenge players to navigate unique mechanics artfully integrated into the environment. Stunning visuals, vibrant music, and clever nods to gaming history enrich the adventure, making it a thrilling experience for platforming enthusiasts. The emotional depth of the game's narrative leaves a lasting impact, ensnaring players' hearts alongside their gaming prowess.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: A Miraculous Experience
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth astounds players with its open-world design, beautifully expanding on the original game's iconic moments while introducing new narratives and gameplay mechanics. The transition from Midgar opens up vast areas filled with rich lore and stunning visuals that honor the franchise's legacy. The combat system, uniquely combining real-time action with tactical decisions, elevates the gameplay experience to new heights, creating exhilarating battles. As players navigate familiar and new storylines, the emotional weight of the game resonates deeply, promising an unforgettable journey for both fans and newcomers alike.
The PlayStation Access Podcast returns, and this time out the team are discussing their favourite games of the year. From Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to Balatro via Astrobot - these are the games we loved in 2024 - but only one can be crowned the Access Game of the Year 2024.
What games were you obsessed with this year? Did we miss any of your favourites? Make sure you vote in our Access Game of the Year Poll, and let us know who you voted for in the comments!
Access Game of the Year Poll: https://forms.gle/rUGy4Komt5ks36gB7
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