The 10 best video games you may have missed in 2024

We’ve already highlighted the very best video games of 2024 — the big-name titles everyone’s talking about. But now, it’s time to shine a light on something different.

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 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 the Laser Eyes

This one has such a striking look. Credit: Simogo/Steam

First up is Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, a mind-bending puzzle game with a mildly alliterative title that’s fun to say aloud. 

The less said about this game before you hop into it yourself, the better. All you need to know is that this puzzle game is set inside a black-and-white mansion with fixed camera angles that call back to classic horror games like the original Resident Evil, though you won’t be shooting any zombies here. Instead, you'll solve puzzles. Lots of them. Puzzles will have puzzles inside of them, and they’ll 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: Nordics

Ahoy. Credit: Falcom/Steam

Ys X: Nordics isn't technically an indie game like most of the other titles on this list. It comes from a noted Japanese development studio in Falcom, and the Ys 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. Ys 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, no-thoughts-head-empty action combat 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. 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 of them sail the high seas trying to break an evil curse, among other things.

It's got great music, an eminently satisfying upgrade loop, and the best seafaring ship combat this side of Assassin's Creed. Don’t miss this one.

Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip

I love this little dude. Credit: snekflat/Steam

I love video games that you can finish in just one or two sittings. I also love the PlayStation 2-era open-world classic 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-ended town, completing tasks to upgrade his car and ultimately fly to space. Like Hit & Run, it’s a lighthearted, cartoony, open-world driving adventure with very low stakes and an endearing sense of humor. It's a perfect Steam Deck game, too. The only downside is that it's exclusive to PC right now.

UFO 50

Yes, games used to look like this, kids. Credit: Mossmouth/Steam

Eagle-eyed readers may remember UFO 50's placement on our main GOTY list this year. I felt it warranted a second mention.

This is a collection of 50 fake retro games made by a fictional company in the game and by a gaggle 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 games used to be and paints a positive view of what games can be in the future. 

Just check it out, will ya?

1000xResist

Another awesome art style here. Credit: sunset visitor/Steam

1000xResist is another one where the less you know going in, the better.

Just know that this unique sci-fi adventure game trades more in compelling narrative than deep mechanics. It's got a killer art style, and the more people I know who play it, the more people I know who insist this is maybe the best game of 2024. Everyone is hopelessly becoming 1000xResist-pilled. 

Thank Goodness You're Here

England is a weird place. Credit: Coal Supper/Steam

Set in a fake town in northern England, Thank Goodness You’re Here is a self-described "absurd comedy slapformer" about a traveling salesman who bounces around town, performing random tasks for people and, more generally, just having a silly little time. 

There's not much else to say about Thank Goodness You’re Here, another game that can be completed in one sitting. It's funny, weird, and has a great look. That earns it a spot on this list.

I Am Your Beast

Sometimes you just need to let off some steam. Credit: Strange Scaffold/Steam

So far, the games on this list have mostly been skewed more lightheartedly or narrative-focused. I Am Your Beast is not those things, necessarily.

But it is a sick, stylish comic book-like first-person shooter set across a series of tiny sandboxes full of fun and violent ways of dispatching your foes. Want to take guys out by drop-kicking their faces or throwing bear traps at them? Go right ahead. Of course, you can also use guns, but there's more fun in being creative.

Minishoot Adventures

Welcome to bullet hell. Credit: SoulGame Studios

"What if The Legend of Zelda was an arcade-style shooter?" is the elevator pitch for Minishoot Adventures, and it's a strong one. This simple little game marries the twin-stick action of many a classic arcade game with adventure games' more exploratory, puzzle-solving elements. 

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

Caravan Sandwitch

One of the most relaxing games of the year, surely. Credit: Studio Plane Toast/Steam

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

Enter Caravan Sandwitch, an open-world adventure set on an alien planet with a small community of eccentric humans for you to hang out with and do stuff for. Almost all of the gameplay in Caravan Sandwitch involves driving a van around a desert and exploring ruins to find scrap and other valuables. Along the way, you’ll uncover a narrative underpinning the whole thing, making the journey worthwhile.

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

Rise of the Golden Idol

Uplifting! Credit: Color Gray Games/Steam

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

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 surely find something to love here.