The 10 best video games you might have missed in 2024

We have already highlighted it a lot best video games of 2024 — the big name titles everyone is talking about. But now it’s time to shine a light on something else.

These games flew under the radar, overshadowed by juggernauts like Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. While they may not have had the same massive marketing push, you could argue that they’re just as good – maybe even better. In fact, one of these titles made it onto both lists.

So let’s give these hidden gems their moment in the spotlight. Here are the best video games of 2024 that you might have missed.

Lorelei and laser eyes

First up is Lorelei and laser eyesa thought-provoking puzzle with a mildly alliterative title that’s fun to say out loud.

The less said about this game before you jump into it yourself, the better. All you need to know is that this puzzle game takes place in a black and white mansion with fixed camera angles that call back to classic horror games like the original Resident Evilalthough you won’t be shooting any zombies here. Instead, you have to solve puzzles. Many of them. Puzzles will have puzzles inside them and they will all lead to more puzzles.

You may need to have a notepad next to you while you play. It’s that kind of game. Have fun!

Ys X: The North

Ys X: The North isn’t technically an indie game like most of the other titles on this list. It comes from a well-known Japanese development studio in Falcom, and Yuck series of action RPGs has been around for as long as Final Fantasy. It just doesn’t have the same level of prestige, especially in the West. Yuck deserves it though, and selfishly I want other people I know to play it so I can talk to them about it.

Ys X takes the kind of fast-paced, mindless action combat that the series is known for and adds tactical, defensive layers on top of it to make it deeper and feel more novel than its immediate predecessors. The series’ protagonist Adol Christin (he’s just a guy who loves adventure and has no other personality traits to speak of) is joined on this adventure by a cool viking lady named Karja, and together the two sail the high seas trying to break an evil curse i.a.

It has great music, an extremely satisfying upgrade loop, and the best naval ship combat this side of Assassin’s Creed. Don’t miss this one.

Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip

I love video games that you can finish in just one or two plays. I also love the open world classics of the PlayStation 2 era The Simpsons: Hit & Run.

Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip takes only a few hours to complete. You play as a goofy little guy running around a goofy, open city, completing tasks to upgrade his car and eventually fly to space. Like Hit & Runit’s a light-hearted, cartoonish open-world driving adventure with very low stakes and an endearing sense of humor. It is a perfect Steam tires games too. The only downside is that it’s exclusive to PC right now.

Mashable light speed

UFO 50

Eagle-eyed readers may remember UFO 50‘s ranking on our main GOTY list this year. I felt it warranted another mention.

This is a collection of 50 fake retro games made by a fictional company in the game and by a bunch of talented indie developers in real life. It spans several eras of classic game design, from obtuse 8-bit adventures to RPGs and more. UFO 50 is a celebration of what gaming used to be and paints a positive view of what gaming can be in the future.

Just check it out, will you?

1000x Resist

1000x Resist is another where the less you know going in the better.

Just know that this unique sci-fi adventure game is more about compelling narrative than deep mechanics. It has a killer art style, and the more people I know who play it, the more people I know who insist that this might be the best game of 2024. Everyone gets hopeless 1000x Resist– the pill.

Thank God you’re here

Set in a fake town in northern England, Thank God you’re here is a self-described “absurd comedy slapstick” about a traveling salesman who bounces around town, doing random tasks for people and more generally just having a silly time.

There is not much else to say Thank God you’re hereanother game that can be completed at once. It’s fun, weird and has a great look. That earns it a spot on this list.

I am your beast

So far, the games on this list have mostly been skewed more light-hearted or narrative-focused. I am your beast are not those things, necessarily.

But that is a sick, stylish cartoon-like first-person shooter that takes place across a series of small sandboxes full of fun and violent ways to dispatch your enemies. Do you want to take guys out by punching their faces or throwing bear traps at them? Go right ahead. Of course, you can also use weapons, but it’s more fun to be creative.

Minishoot adventure

“What if The Legend of Zelda was an arcade-style shooter?” is the elevator pitch to Minishoot adventureand it is a strong one. This simple little game combines the twin-stick action of many classic arcade games with the more exploratory, puzzle-solving elements of adventure games.

If the quick elevator pitch doesn’t grab you, it might not be your game. But if it does, you should probably check this one out.

Caravan Sandwich

I love open world games, but I also love low stakes games. These two genres don’t meet often enough, but when they do, good things happen.

Enter Caravan Sandwichan open world adventure set on an alien planet with a small community of eccentric people that you can hang out with and do things for. Almost the entire gameplay in Caravan Sandwich involves driving a van around a desert and exploring ruins to find scrap and other valuables. Along the way, you’ll uncover a narrative that underpins it all, making the journey worthwhile.

If you like the exploration of Zelda but don’t want to worry about annoying things like battle or failure, this is the game for you.

Rise of the Golden Idol

The sequel to the 2022s The Case of the Golden Idol is another macabre homage to old PC adventure games.

You’ll use your detective skills to solve a series of 1970s-themed cases with stylish visuals that can occasionally veer into disturbing territory. Fans of classic adventure games will definitely find something to love here.