2024’s Video Games, Ranked From Worst to Best

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown turned the storied franchise into a 2.5D metroidvania as players explore a sprawling map full of hidden secrets and exciting power ups. The game was met with mostly positive reviews, but our critic wasn’t having it.

Robin Bea writes: “In its combat and tricky platforming sections, The Lost Crown is mostly a blast. The problem is that it’s surrounded by dull exploration, frequently underwhelming bosses, and enough small frustrations to keep it from greatness.”

Inverse Score: 6/10

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Atlus’ RPG series has become a global phenomenon in the 18 years since Persona 3 first launched. But what should feel like a victory lap instead becomes a mixed bag thanks to some questionable choices made while developing this remake.

Josh Broadwell writes: “Despite being the most coherent version of Atlus’ vision for the story and the best representation of Persona 3’s cast, Persona 3 Reload is also a bit of a mess.”

Inverse score: 7/10

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Use your mech to take down robots in pinball machine-inspired enviorments. What more could you need?

Robin Bea writes: “Go Mecha Ball is exhilarating. However, a lack of variety holds it back from being the kind of game that’s likely to keep you coming back round after round in the long term.”

Inverse Score: 7/10

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In her first solo game since 2005, the benevolent ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom takes the stage with style and flair. Prince Peach Showtime! is undeniably a game for children, for better or worse.

Robin Bea writes: “As fun as it often is, Princess Peach: Showtime! is so committed to being simple and approachable that it never reaches the potential of any of its gameplay mechanics and fades from the mind almost as soon as it’s over.”

Inverse Score: 7/10

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Another Code: Recollection is a remake of two obscure games, one of which had never been released in America before.

Willa Rowe writes: “Another Code: Recollection is an acceptable game in its own right, if an unexciting one for the majority of its playtime. However, it serves as an excellent case study for the video game remake phenomenon at large and the purpose it serves, reminding the industry of the importance of memory.”

Inverse Score: 7/10

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The Last of Us Part 2 released in 2020. So did we really need a remaster in 2024? Regardless of the answer, we got one anyway.

Kazuma Hashimoto writes: “Ultimately, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is functionally the same game with a few new features and some developer commentary.”

Inverse score: 7/10

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Tekken has never been the most popular fight game franchise, or the most accessible, but Tekken 8 pushes the series forward in new and interesting ways.

Kai Tatsumoto writes: “Tekken 8 is developer Bandai Namco’s pinnacle for the series from a technical standpoint alone. But it’s the game’s robust new training modes and campaign that truly elevate it, even if the latter can feel undercooked at times.”

Inverse score: 8/10

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Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy brings together the fourth, fifth, and sixth games in the series for an impressive collection that Ace Attorney fans will love.

Hayes Madsen writes: “The Apollo Justice trilogy does a phenomenal job of updating these three games for a modern audience, and making them more seamless and enjoyable to play than ever.”

Inverse Score: 8/10

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Helldivers 2 became a smash hit thanks to its satirical Starship Troopers-esque premise and satisfying combat. If only it wasn’t so obsessed with squeezing every possible dollar out of players.

Diego Arguello writes: “Arrowhead's latest is an engrossing and over-the-top experience. Yet, its triumphs are tainted by its live service model.”

Inverse score: 8/10.

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This remake of the 20-year-old Gameboy Advance platformer feels like classic Nintendo with a fresh coat of paint.

Shannon Liao writes: “Mario vs. Donkey Kong keeps things very simple. It’s about jumping up, surviving obstacles, and rescuing cute toys. But most important of all, it’s fun.”

Inverse score: 8/10

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Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a gorgeous JRPG that doesn’t much care if you can follow its epic plot.

Robin Bea writes: “The story of Granblue Fantasy: Relink certainly doesn’t rank among the RPG greats, but its combat is so phenomenal that I can’t stop playing it anyway.”

Inverse Score: 9/10

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The beloved Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise leaves Japan and heads for Hawaii in a brilliant and enjoyable satire of American culture.

Hayes Madsen writes: “I don’t think the studio can make a better Yakuza game than this without significantly altering the series formula or trying something wildly new. Infinite Wealth is simply the quintessential Yakuza game, which means you’ll laugh and cry in equal measure.”

Inverse Score: 9/10

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Dragon’s Dogma 2 doesn’t hold your hand, and that’s a good thing. This genre-defining open-world RPG will challenge you and sometimes even infuriate you. But if you can stick with it, you’ll be thankful for the experience.

Hayes Madsen writes: “Dragon’s Dogma 2 is destined to go down as a defining moment for open world design, mentioned in the same breath as Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring.”

Inverse Score: 9/10

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Coming hot off the heels of visual novel 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Vanillaware’s follow-up marked a surprising pivot to the tactical RPG genre. And while the story here might feel lacking, the complex-but-rewarding combat makes it impossible to put down.

Robin Bea writes: “The sheer joy of leading your army to victory through nothing but clever planning is hard to overstate, and I’m convinced it will make Unicorn Overlord a new classic of the strategy genre in years to come.”

Inverse Score: 9/10

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The sequel to 2020’s critically acclaimed Final Fantasy 7 Remake expands the experience into an open-world. Rebirth is a worthy follow-up in every way that makes us even more excited for the third entry in Square Enix’s planned trilogy of games based on the original 1997 classic.

Hayes Madsen writes: “Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a staggeringly huge game, both in terms of its actual size and its seemingly unchecked ambition.”

Inverse Score: 10/10

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