2024 continues to be an exciting time for gamers, as each week brings brand-new and exciting adventures to get lost in. Below is a mix of recent releases and some hidden gems from the last few months that might have flown under your radar. Each one offers some special for gamers across all interests.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Twenty years after its original release on the Gamecube, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remains one of the best, though underrated, Mario spin-offs. A brand-new remake aims to preserve everything fans love about the original, all the while bringing this magical world to a brand new legion of fans on the Switch.
For veterans of the original, the overall storyline remains largely the same as you remember. You play as the world's most famous plumber, Mario, on an epic quest to track down Princess Peach and help her on an ambitious treasure hunt. Unfortunately, several villains stand in your way, determined to keep the secrets of a fabled magical door firmly closed to all.
All of this sounds like textbook Mario, except in this game, the style and visuals are something well and truly unique, as the entire cast and world are transformed into 2D paper creations. Colours and shadows pop at every possible moment, and slick animations make this game look and feel almost like playing an interactive storybook.
It's at this point you'll realise the sizeable upgrade this remake offers on the visuals alone. As levels unfold before your eyes, every scene commands your full attention. Despite the familiarity you might have, the game in this form is an absolute joy to re-explore all over again.
As an RPG game, battles in Paper Mario follow a simple, straightforward turn-based formula. On stage in front of a growing audience of spectators, players enter commands and press specific buttons at precise moments to power up attacks or defend themselves from a line of opponents. A variety of foes and boss battles will keep you on your toes throughout, prompting you to strategise and mix in special abilities to pack an extra punch in fights.
It's an easy-to-learn system that still gives players plenty of wiggle room to upgrade and customise Mario and friends. Each new companion joining your party comes with unique abilities that can help in battle and uncover the game's many puzzles, secrets, and more. In this way, gameplay evolves with every new area uncovered, right until the close of the story.
As a remake, Paper Mario brings new features to the table to help modernise the classic experience. Welcomed additions include companion hints, which can help you keep track of current objectives.
There are also better fast-travel options, which help you move ground quicker than the original, and a fast-swap menu enables you to change abilities more easily than before. The soundtrack has also been rearranged for each new area, though purists can unlock the original Gamecube music early on in the game if they choose.
Despite being a remake, the latest Paper Mario is a breath of fresh air. Vibrant visuals set to the same iconic story will appease new and old fans alike. And with a sizeable campaign of at least 30 hours, this is the definitive way to turn the page on one of Mario's most iconic spin-offs.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is available to play on Nintendo Switch.
Rise of the Ronin
As the world mourns the loss of weekly episodes of Shōgun, there's no better time to check out a game with a somewhat similar context, which has been criminally overlooked in 2024 - Rise of the Ronin.
Set in 1863, you play as a masterless samurai stuck between two warring factions in Japan. On the one hand, the Shogunate wants to maintain traditional order. In contrast, the Anti-Shogunate wants Japanese citizens to decide their own fate - it all sounds eerily familiar.
The arrival of British and American culture, with their new technologies, culture, and diseases, plays the perfect backdrop to a country that is not entirely sure of its place in the world. And this is where you come in.
The story of Rise is incredibly dynamic and can pivot depending on your choices and, ultimately, who you decide to ally with. Bond and favour levels help you keep track of potential alliances, and liberating different territories of Japan's countryside from opposing forces will earn you brownie points and a multitude of quests with the influential bigwigs of Japan.
Combat in Rise of the Ronin is not just a game mechanic; it's an experience. Various weapons, including katana, odachi, sabres, pistols and revolvers, will always push you to experiment with your battle formation. But combat can be punishing - step out of line at any moment, miss a deflection, or try to finish an enemy off before his time, and you'll be punished for it severely.
Environments may feel a dull wash of colours but act as the perfect contrast to the deep red blood you'll spill. This game is quite violent, where even the simplest button press will send your character across the screen with a weapon in hand, dismembering foes in sight.
That said, Rise of the Ronin takes its time to show its true potential. Particularly at the start, with limited weapons, fighting styles and choices to make, you could be forgiven for being a little.…underwhelmed. But be patient and stick with it.
After hitting the three or four-hour mark and unlocking more of your arsenal, Rise of the Ronin will convert you. Decisions after Act 1 ramp up in the dramatics, making you think long and hard about how your choices are forming the future of Japan. If you're a fan of an evolving storyline where your weapons often do the most talking, you'll feel right at home here.
Rise of the Ronin is available to play on PlayStation 5.
Dragon's Dogma 2
Dragon's Dogma 2 is an action RPG adventure you can get lost in – in the best way possible. Its sheer scale, imagination, and creativity are something many games attempt, but few execute to such a high standard.
You play as the Arisen, a character of your own creation who is destined to lead their people. Sounds simple enough, right? Unfortunately, unbeknownst to you, an imposter Arisen has taken your place at court. Your task of exposing them and reclaiming your throne forms the bare bones of the story.
However, the true magic of this game is the story you create along the way, as DD2 truly puts the 'open' into open-world fantasy. With no fast-travel options, you'll travel virtually everywhere on foot. This serves as the perfect excuse for chaotic adventures and discovering the unexpected.
At any moment, a simple quest through this medieval-esque fantasy world can turn into an epic fight for survival, as menacing gryphons or harpies appear from anywhere to raise your heart rate. The day can easily turn into the night while exploring, bringing out fresh dangers and nightmares to overcome.
While the world tries its best to kill you at every corner, you will defy the odds through sheer ingenuity. Want to reach a far-off cliff? Why not tumble that giant Cyclops into the crevice and use him as a bridge? Want to scale a ledge? Try casting an ice pillar and use it as a ladder. This game rewards creativity, and completing even the most minor objectives feels satisfying.
Ultimately, Dragon's Dogma 2 is an experience of your own making. As an open world, it begs investigation. As a fantasy game, it's incredibly creative. And like any open-world RPG worth its salt, the adventure you have is ultimately of your own design.
Dragon's Dogma 2 is available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Helldivers 2
Released earlier in the year, it's safe to say that Helldivers 2 has been one of the biggest hits of 2024 thus far. A recent financial report from Sony revealed that it sold over 12 million units in just 12 weeks since its release. Needless to say, if you haven't had a chance to play it, now is the best time to correct that mistake.
Helldiver's success is largely thanks to its cinematic combat, satirical take on sci-fi and highly addictive cooperative gameplay. Set in a world known as 'Super-Earth,' you and a team of friends are part of an elite class of super soldiers. Your task? Spread your idea of democracy against an alien scourge, of course. To do this, you will use measures like guns, bombs, and more to get your 'peaceful message' across.
You and three other squad members visit distant worlds to exterminate bosses, destroy bases, and rescue civilians, all the while convincing yourself you're the good guys. Missions will be challenging and chockful of hilarious events. With friendly fire on, accidental deaths will become the new norm as you and your squad constantly forgive each other for mistakes.
Planetary hazards keep things fresh, and ridiculously strong weapons are discovered in the field. In this way, the game will always entice you into thinking you'll have the means to defend yourself against all odds.
That said, Helldivers 2 has gotten into hot water in the last month. Sony's short-lived decision to compel PC players to create a PlayStation Network account to continue playing was met with widespread public outcry and review-bombing. That decision has since been reversed, meaning those 0/10 scores you might see lingering on review sites from scorn gamers are no longer relevant.
Thankfully from now on, both PS5 and PC players can now 'spread' their version of democracy in relative peace. As one of the year's biggest releases, Helldivers 2 is a compulsory experience for any gamer with even the slightest interest in co-op shooters.
Helldivers 2 is available to play on PlayStation 5 and PC.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
