I played Metaphor after a pretty grueling jaw/sinus surgery while I was recovering. I bought it on a whim, and didn't even know who made it. The fact that I look back fondly at those 2 weeks should say everything about how amazing this game is.
100% agree dude. After 9/10 and 9/11 when Wings of Freedom started playing I immediately knew this was my GOTY and one of my favorite games of all time
@@ryanpatterson336 Play the demo first. It's long and gives you a good overall feel of what to expect. I loved the game. However, the mechanics start simple but get much more complex (and fun) as the game progresses.
Funny enough, the first one you mentioned, Astro Bot, is my GOTY. My 3 year old son and I played through the game and got all the bots and the platinum. He still says “play robot, daddy. Play robot”
Astro Bot is pure gaming, totally deserves game of the year. It’s criminal that it’s the only game to truly utilise the dual sense, as it adds so much, once you feel it you can’t do without it.
Just picked up Metaphor the other day as an early Christmas/birthday gift to myself. Can’t wait to play it! I’ve had this tradition of playing video games on my birthday for the last (soon to be) 6 years!
Ys X Nordics for me, just got done after 120 hours and this game has the best gameplay in the series, I really hope people don't sleep on this game, it's an absolute gem.
Does cutscene to gameplay ratio improve later in the game? I played up to chapter 4 I think and felt like I was just walking from cutscene to cutscene or being stuck on a ridiculously slow moving boat. I usually love Ys game but this one was putting me off pretty hard.
@@gadarenedemon It is kind of an issue through around the first middle half of the game but it does open up more as you play, it's definitely a more narrative approach than the previous entries but after you experience it once you can skip everything, the 2nd playthrough is Alot more relaxing since you know everything and can just enjoy your progress of the game. It's a valid criticism I'd say, I hope the devs focus less on the interruptions going forward because it's starting to feel like Trails is seeping into the Ys series and that's not what Ys is. It's still a phenomenal game though if you can push through and it does get better as you play.
Metaphor was absolutely my game of the year as well. SMT IV is my favorite ATLUS game of all time and Metaphor really felt like a mix of Persona and SMT IV. As a massive ATLUS fan it truly felt like the ultimate game from ATLUS. Combining everything they've learned from all their past games in to one.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is my GOTY, starting off the year strong. It has everything I like about previous Yakuza games except bigger and better with a lot more polish. I put an outrageous amount of hours into this game with like 150 or so hours. Runner ups: Metaphor ReFantazio, Unicorn Overlord. Honorable mention to indies: Nine Sols, UFO 50, & Another Crab’s Treasure.
Agreed man, it kinda got lost in the shuffle, every year there's one game that gets screwed over because other big name games get released and this year that's the one. It got a few nominations at the Game Awards but it should've been nominated for GOTY as well.
FF7 Rebirth is my GotY. I played the original when it came out, and I was fine just watching this version of the story. However, what drew me and kept me playing was the combat; really great. So much variety of games also
How far through the OG are they up to in the remakes? I haven't played either yet. I was kind of hoping to wait until it's complete. Is there probably just one more coming? 2 maybe?
My wife doesn't know this game exists, but she loves Atlus games, Persona series especially and she loves a lot of JRPGs. I bought it based on your game of the year call for Wifey for Christmas as the Surprise gift she won't see coming. Thanks Johnny!!!
I gotta go with ff7 rebirth, though i didnt play all the top contenders for 2024, rebirth was so immersing and improved so much from remake. I havent been that immersed in a game in a while.
Massive downgrade compared to Remake, the ubisoft map is garbage, you dont discover anything, the map shows everything, everthing needs a mini-game, the most bloated game Ive played in my life. Plus the story is soooooo bad, the characters are dumb af. The combat is great tho, everything else is hot garbage.
You are right FF VII deserves The GOTY is really an allmost perfect game , it has everything, : awesome music , perfect gameplay, incredible history , astounding progression, it has all is so fun and it has like 15 games in it , is The absolute GOTY for me and in second place Metaphor ( That is a beutifull game in everyway) .
That's great Johnny! My GOTY, by far, is UFO 50. I hope you play it sometime in the future: it's a work of art, a true video game, something that's missing on the industry for years, actually, decades! Really hope you play it, you'll be amazed for sure!
@@mr.selfimprovement3241 Its a full-blown triple-A console library in one game! It's hard to believe, I know, but when you start to play AND beat some games, you will realize. To me, It is the most amazing (new) game in years!
I was thinking of you tonight, while watching The Game Awards - I think you'll be VERY satisfied with the results! (no spoilers!) I genuinely, haven't felt this happy about most of the award winners, for a LONG time. So much so, I was nearly moved to tears! Hope all is well, and Happy Holidays! - Elle
Definitely worth trying the demo at least. Not a huge Atlus fan here by any means, played an Etrian Odyssey game years back & a couple of SMT games & while I enjoyed both I wasn't blown away. This one absolutely blew me away, and I'd give it GOTY over Rebirth & Trails into Daybreak, both of which I absolutely loved.
Before watching the video, I'll list my top 5 and compare to yours: 1) Silent Hill 2 2) FF7 Rebirth 3) Astro Bot 4) DQ3 Remake 5) Metaphor HM: Stellar Blade, Echoes of Wisdom, Infinite Wealth
Metaphor is near the top of the games I played this year... but it's not a short game, and I definitely felt like I was ready for it to end by the conclusion. But I also grinded each of my Archetypes, Reverent Crowns and tried to 100% everything I could in the first playthrough.
Metaphor Refantazio completely flew under my radar. I finally picked it up over Black Friday and though I haven't played much of it so far, what i have played showed me why this game is one of the best this year. The worldbuilding is incredible, it has a lot of familiar aspects from other Atlus IPs but it feels so much faster paced, at least in the beginning. I'm really looking forward to diving into it more. This year was really good for JRPGs in general. This, FF7R, P3 Reloaded, Ys X, etc... There was just so much this year.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown for me. Just a brilliant game in all respects. The fact that they pitched a sequel and it was turned down was devastating.
Just got it on sale a few days ago, and really been enjoying it. It sucks that low sales of it meant the developer just recently cancelled more planned DLC/expansion content. It deserved better, because it's excellent.
@@mr.selfimprovement3241 Glad to hear you're enjoying it, too! Yeah, it's a real shame. If the rumors about Ubisoft getting sold off are true, maybe they'll get another chance.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is my GOTY. Metaphor came close, but it was to similar to Persona with its use of the calendar system and other borrowed elements. I wish it was more unique in structure. With Rebirth, the combat was insanely fun, and while I love the cast of Metaphor, Rebirth's cast inches just a millimeter ahead for me in terms of likeability. The majority of the 140 hours I put into Rebirth were some of the most fun I had in video games, with it failing a bit in some of its mini games and the execution of its ending. So yeah, Rebirth is my GOTY
Not dogging on you bro, but it's funny hearing you say Metaphor is too similar when Rebirth is a reimagined FF7, which banks on your love of the original cast.
@@ianp5367nah FF7 LITERALLY feels like a game made for this gen. The amount put into the game and the fact they made the world intertwine with the OST so seamlessly. Almost like discovering the world all over again. The scale felt tangible, the characters felt constantly alive, the NPC even felt alive. The environmental psychology felt like it was made by a professional architect and professional theatre director. Every corner of the game It’s what you should expected as a generational leap in game design quality. Haven’t even started on the combat and how the world and assets play around with your expectations of the Plot. Sorry but you have to be switch off as a human if you think it’s just a reskin. Did you play and finish Rebirth?
@ianp5367 Its not really comparable? I have no nostalgia attachment to the characters as the first time I played OG FF7 was a few months before Remake came out. Even comparing Remake to Rebirth doesn't serve this as there is such a huge jump in world design, and even then its fine because Rebirth is a direct sequel. Metaphor is not. Metaphor is built around the bones of a Persona game, and while I do love Persona, I wanted Metaphor to have more of its own identity.
@Thepurposeoftime Nah I haven't, and I'm not saying it isn't all those things. I've heard nothing, but incredible things, happy to hear it's that good. Excited to get to it eventually, I'm just commenting on the fact it's at least on some level tied to your connection to FF7. I just find it interesting if anything.
@@eldritchautomatonPersonally I disagree with it not having an identity, but I see what ya mean. Totally fair, excited to play ReBirth when I get the chance seeing these reactions.
Mine is FFVII Rebirth. I put like 220 hours into it, I loved it. My #2 believe it or not was Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. I just thought it was so good and I adore Metroidvanias. A shame we'll never get another one as that team has been dissolved. My prediction for my GOTY in 2025: Metroid Prime 4. It would take a major surprise for that not to be mine in 2025.
I gotta go with SH2R. It's a survival horror masterpiece and Blooper team delivered in spades. I thought this game was doomed, but it ended up being the best faithful remake since RER for the gamecube. I guess horror has it for all time best remakes.
Absolutely, SH2 is a masterpiece. I'm shocked it didn't win any of the "game awards" (even though who really gives a fuck), and I feel it should get much more recognition in general.
I waited to play BG3 until I had the physical edition, which wasn't until this summer. So, even though it released digitally last year, BG3 is my game of the year for 2024. Unicorn Overlord is my pick if you're only considering 2024 releases.
Dragon Quest 3 HD2D Remake was definitely my GoTY despite this year having s TON of bangers! Never did play Metaphor; going to have to pick this bad boy up!
Excellent choice. While the core gameplay is the same, the presentation and playability are impressively brought to modern standards. It elevates the original game even more, and is now the definitive version of a classic.
Just wanted to say your my favorite reviewer on youtube. Think its cause we all feel like you were a guy we all knew in school and were just as passionate about gaming as we all are! Your one of us 😊😊😊Never die my fellow gaming comrade!
The gameplay was so addictive and fun in Infinite Wealth, my only complaint was the challenge soon ran dry. Improved gameplay over LAD, but the story didn't quite hit the same. Still probably my game of the year 😅
@Stargazing_night_sky ahhh I'm jealous you get to experience it all from the beginning. The games are such a vibe! Yakuza 0 is a perfect origin story. Other favourites of mine are Kiwami (next game after 0), Yakuza 6, Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name & of course Yakuza: Like A Dragon
@dantess2693 there was a bundle some years back that had the majority of the yakuza games on sale. I bought it then along with the other games on sale dirt cheap but they've just been sitting in my backlog so I figured I'd finally play them. Plus I saw a funny clip of kiryu just saying nah to the turn based system in infinite wealth which I thought was hilarious 😂 that kinda kicked me into gear to finally start them (that and the minigames in some of the games look really fun)
@Stargazing_night_sky ahh you're gonna love this series! The mini-games are fantastic, as are the side missions (called Sub-stories), it's all essential really because you're missing out if you just skim over the games focusing on the main story. Aha Kiryu is funny, and Majima is absolutely hilarious too
Astro Bot is my GOTY. Zelda EOW is a close runner up for me. I’m trying to figure out to pick up Metaphor or Vision of Mana for myself for Xmas. I really enjoyed both demos. It might come down to not wanting another 100 hour game to go in my backlog and wait on Metaphor.
Excellent choice, I’m still pretty early in my play through, I just recruited Heismay, but like you I’m blown away by the sheer depth of the world, the stories, the presentation, the characters on display here. Easily could be my GOTY too by the time the credits role.
Astrobot is my game of the year, my 6 year old and I both had our own save files and it was the first game he beat by himself and some of these levels require a bit of determination. But this game took me back to Mario 64 days as an 11 year old.
Looking at some of the footage of it, It reminded me of that feeling I had (maybe we all did) when I first played Mario 64, and for that reason, I'm going to purchase it.
Yeah, as much as I enjoy Metaphor, Rebirth is just too good to top. It has the advantage of being a remake of a classic, but it was executed so well that it earns the distinction as a new experience in its own right.
Astro Bot is hands down my GOTY. It was so much fun, and being the big PSP fan that I am getting to play a reimagined beautifully rendered LocoRoco had me smiling from ear to ear.
Yes!! Metaphor: ReFantazio did many great things, and I especially loved the fact that the main character is very well-balanced to where he has the charm of Link, but the personality of an outspoken fighter when he does speak! Best combination ever, if you ask me!
Either Pacific Drive or Steamworld Heist 2 are my GOTY. I really got immersed into those games and ended up sinking in a good amount of hours for both.
Pacific Drive is one of the scariest games of this year - and this was a banger year for horror titles (including Until Dawn Remake, Silent Hill 2, Alone on the Dark to name just a few) - I can't recommend Pacific Drive enough.
My game of the year is Marvel vs Capcom fighting collection and Sonic X Shadow Generations I have equal hours playing and both are just more fun than anything else I’ve played all year.
Good choices! I can’t do these big movie games as I get older. I like Zelda, Xenoblade, Sonic, sea of stars, hollow knight. Those are games. Sony exclusives are movies 😂
FF7 rebirth was mine. Just a spectacular step up from remake and visiting places that were familiar but fleshed out and just so much more than before. It added to all of the characters (new and old)…
Mostly played older titles on steam deck oled, but Nintendo’s GOTY was definitely Zelda Echoes of Wisdom. On the Xbox Series X, it was surprisingly Indiana Jones, it has zero wokeness and absolutely incredible graphics. Didn’t play many ps5 titles this year. 🤷🏾♂️
I think Metaphor is a pretty great game, but will also benefit from some recency bias. I have to go with Rebirth -- it made me feel a sense of magic while playing that I haven't gotten in a long, long time. It's a JRPG at a breath taking scale that I just never thought would actually get made. Seeing that world so beautifully created in such incredible scope, with the metric truck ton of incredible music, all the fantastic character moments and how well the writing understood them, the fun gameplay -- everything was just over the top. For me, Metaphor was held back by some significant pacing issues and a general sense of repetitiveness between the environments, the dialogue, etc. Those two were my GotY frontrunners, but this year had so many other great games. from Astrobot to UFO 50, there was something for great for almost any genre or mood.
@@prinnydood7920once you upgrade your ship it becomes a non issue but it's terribly slow in the first half. Once you get mana sail that does help a bit.
Unicorn Overlord is absolutely my game of the year. I bought the game on a sale and really didn't expect much. I am so glad I took the chance, what a game. I have been trying to check out other Vanillaware games while I patiently await what is next from that team. Happy Holidays to you and your family Johnny.
You know it really says something about this channel that even though I have a very different taste in games I always love to see what your playing and what you recommend. Even though many games you have recommended ave never interested me I have tried a few and found a whole new gaming experience. You and rob introduced me to not just JRPG but RPGS as a whole. Thank you HappyConsolGamer and a huge thank you to Robman hope you are well gearing up for my Christmas special marathon!
Sadly Astro Bot is my game of the year as well. It's only sad because that is the only game from this year that I have beaten. Many games when I try to push through because I generally don't enjoy the first few hours and then it was the fact that it took me a while to get my hands on a PS5 Disc drive for my PS5 Pro and some bigger updates came to FFVII:Rebirth and Star Wars Outlaws. The I found out that Silent Hill 2 was going to get PS5 Pro Enhancements so I waited. Then I got LEGO Horizon Adventures stayed in it's wrapper until I got the PS5 disc drive. Actually just remembered that I beat Stellar Blade and that game is also very good and now my game of the year is a tie between Astro Bot and Stellar Blade.
Broken Sword remaster is the only 2024 game I've played yet, but the original is my favourite game so it was probably always going to be my game of the year.
I love your passion for this game and would like to let you know that you succeeded in promoting it. I heard about this game from your channel and bought it for a friend for Christmas. I’m excited for him to play it and see what he thinks. My backlog is too huge for me to get myself a copy but I will as soon as I beat some more games. 10 games from the backlog down this year!
Metaphor is the only new game I've played all year, so it's my GotY by default 😆 there are plenty of new games this year I want to play, but I stay trying to catch up on my backlog. The best games I played that were new to me besides Metaphor were FF7 Remake, Persona 4 Golden, and Astral Chain 😎
I recently picked up the PSVR2 now non VR games just arnt doing it for me 😂. It’s just so new like nothing I’ve experienced before. I think next year will be a great year for VR.
@RPG_Bliss quite a bit, yes. The only ones I didn't enjoy were the most recent one on switch and the fates one on 3DS. I think genealogy and three houses were my favorites.
I love Metaphor too. And another reason why, that you didnt mention, is how seamlessly it blends action and turn-based combat. It's still turned-based first and foremost, but it removes most of the grind by adding an action style quick combat for the easy fights. Super efficient!
Yeah, metaphor personally my most hooked game of the year, i cant stop playing it, every day i back home i open my pc and just play it. But objectively i have give it to Rebirth, the characters, music variety, flashy party combat, the beauty of its world and exploration, the mini games, the emotional of its story. Its just more memorable throughout. metaphor after couple of month / honeymoon phase run out, i dont remember why I liked it so much. I think its because metaphor is more well executed game within SMT / Persona genre
Rebirth is my goty. But you’ve sold me on this, I’m gonna pick it up.
7 днів тому
For me is Astrobot, an absolutely amazing and super fun game. As you said "I was smiling all the time" and I think this feeling of joy is something we need in platforms outside Nintendo.
Rebirth hands down. Such incredibly high production and cinematic quality. Gorgeously realised towns with so much to do. Fun, challenging combat. So much exploration to do as well as minigames galore. And epic characters that you miss after the game's over.
Metaphor looks like it would have been my GOTY too, but I haven’t played it yet! It’s the main thing on my Christmas list so I am hoping my wife got the clues. 😂 I am so in love with Dragon Quest 3 that despite it being a remake, it has enchanted me so much it has to be my GOTY at the moment.
Astro Bot is my Game of the Year. I'm almost done rescuing all of the robots but this game really was a breath of fresh air for me. It's been a blast. A lot of love was put into that game. Not to take anything away from other releases but many of the top games this year felt like "been there, done that" even though the 2024 lineup was very strong. Astro Bot provided an experience that was unique compared to any other game I played all year. It was literally a celebration of PlayStation and I hope that Astro Bot will remain one of PlayStation's iconic characters going forward. I would love to see more Astro Bot games in the future.
Watching this review mad me think back and I realized how much I really missed Studio LEVEL 5 and the White Knight Chronicles series. That really needs to be refreshed and brought back.
Easy win for Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth for me. That was the most fun I have ever had in a 100+ game. In second place for me would be Unicorn Overlord, and then in third would be Metaphor. What a great year for games! Johnny, excellent video as always.
FF7: Rebirth should 100% be GOTY. Metaphor was great, but i felt it was lagging in some areas. Repetitive fights, long conversations - and im talking like SUPER LONG, repetitive and basic dungeons, and i can continue on. It was great, and i enjoyed it, but i was DEF ready for it to be over when i was getting to the end. It does not match up to FF7, its music, gameplay, battle mechanics, large world, lived in cities and towns, voice acting, and more.
I played Metaphor after a pretty grueling jaw/sinus surgery while I was recovering. I bought it on a whim, and didn't even know who made it. The fact that I look back fondly at those 2 weeks should say everything about how amazing this game is.
Metaphor is my GOTY as well. What an experience playing this. Totally blew me away.
100% agree dude. After 9/10 and 9/11 when Wings of Freedom started playing I immediately knew this was my GOTY and one of my favorite games of all time
SPOILERS!!! Lmao
Same this game is a masterpiece
Want to pick it up is it worth it for a casual rpg guy?
@@ryanpatterson336 Play the demo first. It's long and gives you a good overall feel of what to expect. I loved the game. However, the mechanics start simple but get much more complex (and fun) as the game progresses.
Funny enough, the first one you mentioned, Astro Bot, is my GOTY. My 3 year old son and I played through the game and got all the bots and the platinum. He still says “play robot, daddy. Play robot”
We are getting it for my 3 year old for Christmas. I’m so pumped !
@ I give him the unplugged controller and he loves it! He loves any level with a beach
My 3 yo son is also hooked. And did the same. Calls it robot game 😂😂❤❤❤
Astro Bot is pure gaming, totally deserves game of the year.
It’s criminal that it’s the only game to truly utilise the dual sense, as it adds so much, once you feel it you can’t do without it.
I don't even own a PS5 and KNOW that Astro Bot is a serious contender for best platformer ever
Just picked up Metaphor the other day as an early Christmas/birthday gift to myself. Can’t wait to play it! I’ve had this tradition of playing video games on my birthday for the last (soon to be) 6 years!
I'll be doing that next week myself!
Happy birthday. My birthday is on December as well.
@@dsjanc oh forreal?! What day?
Cool tradition you established
Ys X Nordics for me, just got done after 120 hours and this game has the best gameplay in the series, I really hope people don't sleep on this game, it's an absolute gem.
I’m with you. It was amazing
Does cutscene to gameplay ratio improve later in the game? I played up to chapter 4 I think and felt like I was just walking from cutscene to cutscene or being stuck on a ridiculously slow moving boat. I usually love Ys game but this one was putting me off pretty hard.
@@gadarenedemon It is kind of an issue through around the first middle half of the game but it does open up more as you play, it's definitely a more narrative approach than the previous entries but after you experience it once you can skip everything, the 2nd playthrough is Alot more relaxing since you know everything and can just enjoy your progress of the game. It's a valid criticism I'd say, I hope the devs focus less on the interruptions going forward because it's starting to feel like Trails is seeping into the Ys series and that's not what Ys is. It's still a phenomenal game though if you can push through and it does get better as you play.
No the game out date and agly, and boring
I was surprised this did not get an honorable mention. There were a lot of good games this year. 😀
Metaphor was absolutely my game of the year as well. SMT IV is my favorite ATLUS game of all time and Metaphor really felt like a mix of Persona and SMT IV. As a massive ATLUS fan it truly felt like the ultimate game from ATLUS. Combining everything they've learned from all their past games in to one.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is my GOTY, starting off the year strong. It has everything I like about previous Yakuza games except bigger and better with a lot more polish. I put an outrageous amount of hours into this game with like 150 or so hours.
Runner ups: Metaphor ReFantazio, Unicorn Overlord.
Honorable mention to indies: Nine Sols, UFO 50, & Another Crab’s Treasure.
For myself it was more of the same. I couldn't find it through to the end.
I'm glad to read this because I want infinite wealth and I'm gonna buy it when I finish my backlog, so a good review like this confirms my plans 😂
Agreed man, it kinda got lost in the shuffle, every year there's one game that gets screwed over because other big name games get released and this year that's the one. It got a few nominations at the Game Awards but it should've been nominated for GOTY as well.
Infinite Wealth is amazing, I've been taking my time playing it and have been really enjoying it.
i had Another crabs treasure on the list of games to play , ill be trying that for sure now .
New to the WH40K universe but loved what they did with Space Marines 2.
FF7 Rebirth is my GotY. I played the original when it came out, and I was fine just watching this version of the story. However, what drew me and kept me playing was the combat; really great. So much variety of games also
How far through the OG are they up to in the remakes? I haven't played either yet. I was kind of hoping to wait until it's complete. Is there probably just one more coming? 2 maybe?
This is a remake should have its own category.
My wife doesn't know this game exists, but she loves Atlus games, Persona series especially and she loves a lot of JRPGs. I bought it based on your game of the year call for Wifey for Christmas as the Surprise gift she won't see coming. Thanks Johnny!!!
Unicorn Overlord
That is all...
I also liked it
Same
Dust Born
That is all…
I gotta go with ff7 rebirth, though i didnt play all the top contenders for 2024, rebirth was so immersing and improved so much from remake. I havent been that immersed in a game in a while.
Yes i own but like so many,yet to play, i still have PlayStation 2,3, & 4 games sealed unplayed
Massive downgrade compared to Remake, the ubisoft map is garbage, you dont discover anything, the map shows everything, everthing needs a mini-game, the most bloated game Ive played in my life.
Plus the story is soooooo bad, the characters are dumb af.
The combat is great tho, everything else is hot garbage.
You are right FF VII deserves The GOTY is really an allmost perfect game , it has everything, : awesome music , perfect gameplay, incredible history , astounding progression, it has all is so fun and it has like 15 games in it , is The absolute GOTY for me and in second place Metaphor ( That is a beutifull game in everyway) .
That's great Johnny! My GOTY, by far, is UFO 50. I hope you play it sometime in the future: it's a work of art, a true video game, something that's missing on the industry for years, actually, decades! Really hope you play it, you'll be amazed for sure!
I've seen seeing it everywhere. I have to buy it. It looks like a amazing (good) homage to the Action 52 cart.
@@mr.selfimprovement3241 Its a full-blown triple-A console library in one game! It's hard to believe, I know, but when you start to play AND beat some games, you will realize. To me, It is the most amazing (new) game in years!
I was thinking of you tonight, while watching The Game Awards - I think you'll be VERY satisfied with the results! (no spoilers!) I genuinely, haven't felt this happy about most of the award winners, for a LONG time. So much so, I was nearly moved to tears! Hope all is well, and Happy Holidays! - Elle
John’s game of the year is Metaphor? Okay I’m finally downloading it.
It’s a great game
Definitely worth trying the demo at least. Not a huge Atlus fan here by any means, played an Etrian Odyssey game years back & a couple of SMT games & while I enjoyed both I wasn't blown away. This one absolutely blew me away, and I'd give it GOTY over Rebirth & Trails into Daybreak, both of which I absolutely loved.
It REALLY is pretty great. I would also recommend the OTHER game the same publisher released a few months earlier Persona 3 Reloaded.
Be patient. The game opens up slowly as it drip feeds you. The pay off is worth it (Just like the persona games).
Before watching the video, I'll list my top 5 and compare to yours:
1) Silent Hill 2
2) FF7 Rebirth
3) Astro Bot
4) DQ3 Remake
5) Metaphor
HM: Stellar Blade, Echoes of Wisdom, Infinite Wealth
Metaphor was a special game. One of those experiences you never want to end.
Metaphor is near the top of the games I played this year... but it's not a short game, and I definitely felt like I was ready for it to end by the conclusion. But I also grinded each of my Archetypes, Reverent Crowns and tried to 100% everything I could in the first playthrough.
Metaphor Refantazio completely flew under my radar. I finally picked it up over Black Friday and though I haven't played much of it so far, what i have played showed me why this game is one of the best this year. The worldbuilding is incredible, it has a lot of familiar aspects from other Atlus IPs but it feels so much faster paced, at least in the beginning. I'm really looking forward to diving into it more.
This year was really good for JRPGs in general. This, FF7R, P3 Reloaded, Ys X, etc... There was just so much this year.
The HUD looks worse than Suicide Squad.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown for me. Just a brilliant game in all respects. The fact that they pitched a sequel and it was turned down was devastating.
Just got it on sale a few days ago, and really been enjoying it. It sucks that low sales of it meant the developer just recently cancelled more planned DLC/expansion content. It deserved better, because it's excellent.
@@mr.selfimprovement3241 Glad to hear you're enjoying it, too! Yeah, it's a real shame. If the rumors about Ubisoft getting sold off are true, maybe they'll get another chance.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is my GOTY. Metaphor came close, but it was to similar to Persona with its use of the calendar system and other borrowed elements. I wish it was more unique in structure. With Rebirth, the combat was insanely fun, and while I love the cast of Metaphor, Rebirth's cast inches just a millimeter ahead for me in terms of likeability. The majority of the 140 hours I put into Rebirth were some of the most fun I had in video games, with it failing a bit in some of its mini games and the execution of its ending. So yeah, Rebirth is my GOTY
Not dogging on you bro, but it's funny hearing you say Metaphor is too similar when Rebirth is a reimagined FF7, which banks on your love of the original cast.
@@ianp5367nah FF7 LITERALLY feels like a game made for this gen. The amount put into the game and the fact they made the world intertwine with the OST so seamlessly. Almost like discovering the world all over again. The scale felt tangible, the characters felt constantly alive, the NPC even felt alive. The environmental psychology felt like it was made by a professional architect and professional theatre director. Every corner of the game
It’s what you should expected as a generational leap in game design quality. Haven’t even started on the combat and how the world and assets play around with your expectations of the Plot.
Sorry but you have to be switch off as a human if you think it’s just a reskin.
Did you play and finish Rebirth?
@ianp5367 Its not really comparable? I have no nostalgia attachment to the characters as the first time I played OG FF7 was a few months before Remake came out. Even comparing Remake to Rebirth doesn't serve this as there is such a huge jump in world design, and even then its fine because Rebirth is a direct sequel. Metaphor is not. Metaphor is built around the bones of a Persona game, and while I do love Persona, I wanted Metaphor to have more of its own identity.
@Thepurposeoftime Nah I haven't, and I'm not saying it isn't all those things. I've heard nothing, but incredible things, happy to hear it's that good. Excited to get to it eventually, I'm just commenting on the fact it's at least on some level tied to your connection to FF7. I just find it interesting if anything.
@@eldritchautomatonPersonally I disagree with it not having an identity, but I see what ya mean. Totally fair, excited to play ReBirth when I get the chance seeing these reactions.
1.Astro Bot
2.Prince of Persia
3.Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered
Refreshing to see someone else also include Tomb Raider I-III Remastered. It's on my list of favorites this year too.
Ys X, and Unicorn Overlord we're mine. This year was absolutely stacked with amazing games.
Spot on.. I still have a ways to go playing through all the amazing releases this year
Mine is FFVII Rebirth. I put like 220 hours into it, I loved it. My #2 believe it or not was Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. I just thought it was so good and I adore Metroidvanias. A shame we'll never get another one as that team has been dissolved. My prediction for my GOTY in 2025: Metroid Prime 4. It would take a major surprise for that not to be mine in 2025.
Mine is definitely Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, it had everything i could have asked for. Ive started a new playthrough recently and it’s simply amazing.
I gotta go with SH2R. It's a survival horror masterpiece and Blooper team delivered in spades.
I thought this game was doomed, but it ended up being the best faithful remake since RER for the gamecube. I guess horror has it for all time best remakes.
Absolutely, SH2 is a masterpiece. I'm shocked it didn't win any of the "game awards" (even though who really gives a fuck), and I feel it should get much more recognition in general.
My GOTY by far. Took my fave game of all time and made it so much better
I agree metaphor refantazio is just amazing...my close second wouldn't be rebirth though it would definitely be unicorn overlord...
I waited to play BG3 until I had the physical edition, which wasn't until this summer. So, even though it released digitally last year, BG3 is my game of the year for 2024.
Unicorn Overlord is my pick if you're only considering 2024 releases.
Dragon Quest 3 HD2D Remake was definitely my GoTY despite this year having s TON of bangers! Never did play Metaphor; going to have to pick this bad boy up!
Excellent choice. While the core gameplay is the same, the presentation and playability are impressively brought to modern standards. It elevates the original game even more, and is now the definitive version of a classic.
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth was my personal Game of the Year. A played a ton of games and enjoyed a ton of games, but Rebirth was my favorite.
Just wanted to say your my favorite reviewer on youtube. Think its cause we all feel like you were a guy we all knew in school and were just as passionate about gaming as we all are! Your one of us 😊😊😊Never die my fellow gaming comrade!
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is my goty and one of my favorite games of all time.
Same here, Rebirth is more than a game, it's something magical
@@akiinmoonlight79 profile pic checks out
Same here dude. I expected a lot from it but it surpassed all expectations x10.
@@lambers69Rebirth is top notch
FF7 is my game of the year. With Infinite wealth, and Stellar Blade taking the 2nd and 3rd spots respectively.
The gameplay was so addictive and fun in Infinite Wealth, my only complaint was the challenge soon ran dry. Improved gameplay over LAD, but the story didn't quite hit the same. Still probably my game of the year 😅
@dantess2693 I just started yakuza 0. Really excited to get into the series
@Stargazing_night_sky ahhh I'm jealous you get to experience it all from the beginning. The games are such a vibe! Yakuza 0 is a perfect origin story. Other favourites of mine are Kiwami (next game after 0), Yakuza 6, Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name & of course Yakuza: Like A Dragon
@dantess2693 there was a bundle some years back that had the majority of the yakuza games on sale. I bought it then along with the other games on sale dirt cheap but they've just been sitting in my backlog so I figured I'd finally play them. Plus I saw a funny clip of kiryu just saying nah to the turn based system in infinite wealth which I thought was hilarious 😂 that kinda kicked me into gear to finally start them (that and the minigames in some of the games look really fun)
@Stargazing_night_sky ahh you're gonna love this series! The mini-games are fantastic, as are the side missions (called Sub-stories), it's all essential really because you're missing out if you just skim over the games focusing on the main story.
Aha Kiryu is funny, and Majima is absolutely hilarious too
Astro Bot is my GOTY. Zelda EOW is a close runner up for me. I’m trying to figure out to pick up Metaphor or Vision of Mana for myself for Xmas. I really enjoyed both demos. It might come down to not wanting another 100 hour game to go in my backlog and wait on Metaphor.
No just play it
Surprised Echoes isn’t getting more votes. It’s a fantastic game 😆
Excellent choice, I’m still pretty early in my play through, I just recruited Heismay, but like you I’m blown away by the sheer depth of the world, the stories, the presentation, the characters on display here.
Easily could be my GOTY too by the time the credits role.
Astrobot is my game of the year, my 6 year old and I both had our own save files and it was the first game he beat by himself and some of these levels require a bit of determination. But this game took me back to Mario 64 days as an 11 year old.
Looking at some of the footage of it, It reminded me of that feeling I had (maybe we all did) when I first played Mario 64, and for that reason, I'm going to purchase it.
FF7 Rebirth no question. It’s an absolute masterpiece and other game industries need to take note.
Yeah, as much as I enjoy Metaphor, Rebirth is just too good to top. It has the advantage of being a remake of a classic, but it was executed so well that it earns the distinction as a new experience in its own right.
Prince of Persia
I'm so thankful that you shoot your videos in 4K. Keep up the great work Johnny!
Just picked up a PS5 and Astro Bot! I'm absolutely LOVING it! The whole game is a treat!
Astro Bot is hands down my GOTY. It was so much fun, and being the big PSP fan that I am getting to play a reimagined beautifully rendered LocoRoco had me smiling from ear to ear.
My top 3 of the year in order if I had to would be Prince of Persia The Lost Crown, Balatro and Astro Bot.
Prince of persia is underrated imo
Yes!! Metaphor: ReFantazio did many great things, and I especially loved the fact that the main character is very well-balanced to where he has the charm of Link, but the personality of an outspoken fighter when he does speak! Best combination ever, if you ask me!
Either Pacific Drive or Steamworld Heist 2 are my GOTY. I really got immersed into those games and ended up sinking in a good amount of hours for both.
Great choices there 👌
Steamworld games are great. I'll have to try Heist
@@RobertTheBruce88 I've played the first Heist game it's bloody brilliant. Excellent turn based combat that's super satisfying. Very addictive game.
Pacific Drive is one of the scariest games of this year - and this was a banger year for horror titles (including Until Dawn Remake, Silent Hill 2, Alone on the Dark to name just a few) - I can't recommend Pacific Drive enough.
My game of the year is Marvel vs Capcom fighting collection and Sonic X Shadow Generations I have equal hours playing and both are just more fun than anything else I’ve played all year.
Good choices! I can’t do these big movie games as I get older. I like Zelda, Xenoblade, Sonic, sea of stars, hollow knight. Those are games. Sony exclusives are movies 😂
@ yeah agreed been like that for decades too. I need a game, which is why I prefer Demons souls so much as it still feels like a game.
FF7 rebirth was mine. Just a spectacular step up from remake and visiting places that were familiar but fleshed out and just so much more than before. It added to all of the characters (new and old)…
I've never even heard of this game.But I definitely will try it now
Mostly played older titles on steam deck oled, but Nintendo’s GOTY was definitely Zelda Echoes of Wisdom. On the Xbox Series X, it was surprisingly Indiana Jones, it has zero wokeness and absolutely incredible graphics. Didn’t play many ps5 titles this year. 🤷🏾♂️
Hello!!
I have been watching your videos for years. I have just one question for years. Why haven't you played or talked about Witcher 3?
Great video! FF7 Rebirth is my GOTY and I plan to make a video on it later this month. This year has been a good year for gaming :)
I think Metaphor is a pretty great game, but will also benefit from some recency bias. I have to go with Rebirth -- it made me feel a sense of magic while playing that I haven't gotten in a long, long time. It's a JRPG at a breath taking scale that I just never thought would actually get made. Seeing that world so beautifully created in such incredible scope, with the metric truck ton of incredible music, all the fantastic character moments and how well the writing understood them, the fun gameplay -- everything was just over the top. For me, Metaphor was held back by some significant pacing issues and a general sense of repetitiveness between the environments, the dialogue, etc.
Those two were my GotY frontrunners, but this year had so many other great games. from Astrobot to UFO 50, there was something for great for almost any genre or mood.
I’m surprised ys Nordic wasn’t on his list considering he’s a huge fan of the series.
Yep it’s weird… maybe because the game was released last year in Japan? (This game is actually in my own top 5)
Loved that one👍 It didn’t quite live up to Ys VIII for me but it was close
@@landonmathews6111 I droped the game after i played it for almost 20 hours
I hate how slow the ship is
Yeha this ys is ine of the worst boring and out date
@@prinnydood7920once you upgrade your ship it becomes a non issue but it's terribly slow in the first half. Once you get mana sail that does help a bit.
For me, its TR Remastered. I know its a coupout but that collection is a perfect labour of love, the nostalgic is so strong.
I'm with you on that! The trilogy is on my favorites of the year aswell. And just think: we will get the rest of the classic Tomb Raiders NEXT month!
Metaphor: ReFantazio has a beautiful interface, but at some point my eyes got tired of the constantly moving dialog boxes.
To me, Gollum is GOTY.
Silent Hill 2 is my GOTY. It was perfection.
Unicorn Overlord is absolutely my game of the year. I bought the game on a sale and really didn't expect much. I am so glad I took the chance, what a game. I have been trying to check out other Vanillaware games while I patiently await what is next from that team. Happy Holidays to you and your family Johnny.
Ff7 rebirth is my game of the year.
Poor pleb
It’s either this or rebirth for me
When did Americans get so into Japanese games i just can't see what's fun about em
@@DR.DisInfect
Metal Gear Solid
Resident Evil
Soul
Silent Hill
Castlevania
Super Mario
Legend of Zelda
Monster Hunter
@@DR.DisInfect Have you ever tried one?
You know it really says something about this channel that even though I have a very different taste in games I always love to see what your playing and what you recommend. Even though many games you have recommended ave never interested me I have tried a few and found a whole new gaming experience. You and rob introduced me to not just JRPG but RPGS as a whole. Thank you HappyConsolGamer and a huge thank you to Robman hope you are well gearing up for my Christmas special marathon!
Astrobot is my game of the year
Sadly Astro Bot is my game of the year as well. It's only sad because that is the only game from this year that I have beaten. Many games when I try to push through because I generally don't enjoy the first few hours and then it was the fact that it took me a while to get my hands on a PS5 Disc drive for my PS5 Pro and some bigger updates came to FFVII:Rebirth and Star Wars Outlaws. The I found out that Silent Hill 2 was going to get PS5 Pro Enhancements so I waited. Then I got LEGO Horizon Adventures stayed in it's wrapper until I got the PS5 disc drive. Actually just remembered that I beat Stellar Blade and that game is also very good and now my game of the year is a tie between Astro Bot and Stellar Blade.
Mine too!!
Broken Sword remaster is the only 2024 game I've played yet, but the original is my favourite game so it was probably always going to be my game of the year.
My goty is Metaphor. It is truly incredible. Love your videos! Keep it up!
I love your passion for this game and would like to let you know that you succeeded in promoting it. I heard about this game from your channel and bought it for a friend for Christmas. I’m excited for him to play it and see what he thinks. My backlog is too huge for me to get myself a copy but I will as soon as I beat some more games. 10 games from the backlog down this year!
My game of the year is still FF7 Rebirth. Close contenders are Tekken 8, Silent Hill 2, and Balatro.
Great year for new games
Totally agree - metaphor is so so good. I’m about 70% through it and really taking my time enjoying it.
My GOTY is Astro Bot and Stella Blade 😊
Metaphor is the only new game I've played all year, so it's my GotY by default 😆 there are plenty of new games this year I want to play, but I stay trying to catch up on my backlog. The best games I played that were new to me besides Metaphor were FF7 Remake, Persona 4 Golden, and Astral Chain 😎
I recently picked up the PSVR2 now non VR games just arnt doing it for me 😂. It’s just so new like nothing I’ve experienced before. I think next year will be a great year for VR.
Hey Johnny, great list, thanks for that! Will need to play them eventually!
Unicorn Overlord is GOTY.
I just got that from my sister for Christmas early. So pumped to play it!
I played it. I loved it.
According to your opinion
Not even close. If i want to jus watch fights ill watch someone streaming. Id rather play a game
I just want to go back to it. If I could play it forever I'd never need another game.
Awsome video. U should make a video of best game from each decade. Starting from when u started gaming.
Unicorn overlord dethroned final Fantasy tactics as my favorite strategy game of all time.
Did you like the fire emblem games?
@RPG_Bliss quite a bit, yes. The only ones I didn't enjoy were the most recent one on switch and the fates one on 3DS. I think genealogy and three houses were my favorites.
My top 3 are FF7 Rebirth, Silent Hill 2, & Astro Bot. Tons of other games I’m playing, but those 3 take the top spot for me.
Rebirth>Metaphor>Stellar Blade>Yakuza 8>Astro Bot
That's a great line up!
I love Metaphor too. And another reason why, that you didnt mention, is how seamlessly it blends action and turn-based combat. It's still turned-based first and foremost, but it removes most of the grind by adding an action style quick combat for the easy fights. Super efficient!
first somehow, can't wait for Christmas special :)
Same, it’s tradition for myself
@@Nickzstuff Heck yeah!
I love his Christmas episode. This is my favorite gaming channel
Yeah, metaphor personally my most hooked game of the year, i cant stop playing it, every day i back home i open my pc and just play it.
But objectively i have give it to Rebirth, the characters, music variety, flashy party combat, the beauty of its world and exploration, the mini games, the emotional of its story. Its just more memorable throughout.
metaphor after couple of month / honeymoon phase run out, i dont remember why I liked it so much. I think its because metaphor is more well executed game within SMT / Persona genre
Rebirth is my goty. But you’ve sold me on this, I’m gonna pick it up.
For me is Astrobot, an absolutely amazing and super fun game. As you said "I was smiling all the time" and I think this feeling of joy is something we need in platforms outside Nintendo.
Stalker 2 for me. Fantastic game regardless of all the bugs in it.
Astro bot is my GOTY
Just hearing the theme song put a smile on my face
Unicorn Overlord
Still playing this year's games but unofficial personal GOTY so far is Trails to Azure.
Like a dragon infinite wealth
My GOTY is definitely Astro Bot! I just picked up Metaphor on Black Friday and am looking forward to that too.
I only gave this a chance after you made a video about it. My game of the year as well, and one of my top ten ganes of all time.
Balatro for me. I didn’t get to play alot of what came out this year, but I can play Balatro for hours and enjoy it more and more as I do.
Rebirth hands down. Such incredibly high production and cinematic quality. Gorgeously realised towns with so much to do. Fun, challenging combat. So much exploration to do as well as minigames galore. And epic characters that you miss after the game's over.
Prince of Persia Lost Crown
Metaphor looks like it would have been my GOTY too, but I haven’t played it yet! It’s the main thing on my Christmas list so I am hoping my wife got the clues. 😂
I am so in love with Dragon Quest 3 that despite it being a remake, it has enchanted me so much it has to be my GOTY at the moment.
Astro Bot is my Game of the Year. I'm almost done rescuing all of the robots but this game really was a breath of fresh air for me. It's been a blast. A lot of love was put into that game. Not to take anything away from other releases but many of the top games this year felt like "been there, done that" even though the 2024 lineup was very strong. Astro Bot provided an experience that was unique compared to any other game I played all year. It was literally a celebration of PlayStation and I hope that Astro Bot will remain one of PlayStation's iconic characters going forward. I would love to see more Astro Bot games in the future.
Great video. Near the end of Metaphor now and it is awesome. Liked and subscribed! Have a great holiday!
Silent hill 2 baby! So good. Bloober killed it! As a fan for 20 years i am nothing but impressed and wanting more
I preordered Metaphor on Steam immediately after I saw your preview video a few months ago. Thanks bro.
Rise of the Ronin 2024 GOTY 🎉🎉
Watching this review mad me think back and I realized how much I really missed Studio LEVEL 5 and the White Knight Chronicles series. That really needs to be refreshed and brought back.
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Easy win for Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth for me. That was the most fun I have ever had in a 100+ game. In second place for me would be Unicorn Overlord, and then in third would be Metaphor. What a great year for games! Johnny, excellent video as always.
FF7: Rebirth should 100% be GOTY. Metaphor was great, but i felt it was lagging in some areas. Repetitive fights, long conversations - and im talking like SUPER LONG, repetitive and basic dungeons, and i can continue on. It was great, and i enjoyed it, but i was DEF ready for it to be over when i was getting to the end. It does not match up to FF7, its music, gameplay, battle mechanics, large world, lived in cities and towns, voice acting, and more.
It's FF7 Rebirth for me easily, it's everything i wanted
My top 3
1. Rebirth
2, BMW
3, Stellar Blade
Uh Silent Hill 2 remake was GOATed