Balatro, Astro Bot and Hades II have topped Rolling Stone's top 2024 top 20 games of 2024

Rolling Stone's cover of the top 20 games of 2024. Source: Rolling Stone

The editors of the popular publication Rolling Stone have published their own look at the best games of 2024.

Here's What We Know

Rolling Stone journalists noted that this year big companies did not distinguish themselves with a lot of high-quality releases, but indie developers pleased with interesting and unconventional games.

While there were plenty of misses, 2024 had just as many (if not more) games that took advantage of the general downturn to reach a wider audience in ways that might not have worked in any other year. At worst, this year could be described as experimental, as even annual releases like Call of Duty tried to introduce something new. But in truth, 2024 turned out to be a year where surprising innovations appeared where they weren't expected.

And it was one of the indie games - card-based roguelike Balatro - that was recognised as the best new game of 2024, with Astro Bot, the most highly regarded project of the year, taking the second spot in the top. Rounding out the top three is another indie hit, Hades II.

Rolling Stone's top 20 games of 2024 are as follows:

1. Balatro;
2. Astro Bot;
3. Hades II;
4. Helldivers 2;
5. Metaphor: ReFantazio;
6. Animal Well;
7. Marvel Rivals;
8. Neva;
9. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree;
10. Tekken 8;
11. 1000xResist;
12. Infinity Nikki;
13. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth;
14. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6;
15. Star Wars Outlaws;
16. Dragon Age: The Veilguard;
17. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess;
18. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle;
19. Stellar Blade;
20. Pepper Grinder.

Source: Rolling Stone