RPS SELECTION BOX: JEREMY’S GAME OF THE YEAR 2024
Every year, a sea of exceptional games emerges, often outshining the available slots in our Advent Calendar.
This special segment gives us the chance to honor titles that truly deserve a spotlight.
In 2024, I celebrated my inaugural full year with RPS.
My journey as a guides writer took me on a series of engrossing adventures, pushing me through a mix of challenging Soulslikes and intricate gacha systems, all while offering me moments of introspection about life’s subtleties.
While I certainly battled through intense experiences like Shadow of the Erdtree, Black Myth: Wukong, and Wuthering Waves, I also discovered some calmer gaming gems.
Below, I’m excited to spotlight two remarkable titles alongside one peculiar game that, despite not being included in our official Game of the Year discussion, charmed me with its unique qualities.
AN ENGLISH HAUNTING
For fans of the Laura Bow series or those who appreciate the Gaslight Cthulhu genre, An English Haunting is a must-try.
Developed and published by Postmodern Adventures, this captivating title can be found on Steam and Itch.
After Alice B’s enthusiastic praise of its demo last April, I was eager to dive in myself.
Unfortunately, due to some staffing changes during our review period, we couldn’t feature this gem.
However, I believe it’s worthwhile to highlight An English Haunting as a fantastic point-and-click adventure that takes you to England and Scotland in 1907 to explore supernatural enigmas.
You step into the shoes of Professor Patrick Moore, a keen academic who’s racing against time to gather evidence of ghosts before the Metapsychic Investigations department at his university gets shut down.
As a fan of Victorian and Edwardian narratives, this game resonated with my love for mysterious tales set against atmospheric, gaslit backdrops, particularly when featuring tweed-clad detectives.
It beautifully combines elements of horror with occult themes, appealing to fellow enthusiasts like myself.
Players can engage with meticulously crafted environments, encounter puzzles that feel intriguingly solvable, and even experience a scene where they take on the persona of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, utilizing his expertise to create Sherlock Holmes stories while addressing his belief in skepticism.
That said, I did feel a slight lull in pacing during the middle chapters, especially in the Scottish segment, which seemed a bit underdeveloped when compared to Postmodern Adventures’ previous offering, Nightmare Frames, a nostalgic nod to ‘80s slasher flicks.
Nonetheless, those who stick with it will find a gripping finale and one of the rare jump scares I’ve experienced in a point-and-click adventure.
DRAGON’S DOGMA 2
In 2024, Dragon’s Dogma 2 provided an absolute thrill.
From the perspective of a guide writer, I had the joy of leading our team in crafting various resources, including in-depth class guides and walkthroughs.
As a player, I delighted in the game’s quirks and its impressive dedication to granting players creative freedom—complete with the delightful consequences that come with those choices.
This sandbox experience invites players to casually wander through its world, and it does so with a striking charm.
Often dubbed a “Capcom-style game” in our Slack chats, it showcases the memorable Pawn system, where AI companions evolve alongside the player, thrilling boss encounters that demand scaling griffons like it’s a dance-off, and character models that shine thanks to the RE Engine.
The gameplay, while chaotic, is exhilarating.
As a tabletop RPG fan, I appreciate how Dragon’s Dogma 2 mirrors a Game Master who prioritizes entertaining player-driven stories over rigid narratives.
This leads to unforgettable moments, such as a player accidentally using a powerful Unmaking Arrow, inadvertently taking out an NPC they were romancing.
Such whimsical unpredictability echoes the delightful TTRPG nights that I cherish, which was especially evident in my adventures within Dragon’s Dogma 2.
VAMPIRE SURVIVORS: ODE TO CASTLEVANIA
This year, I finally delved into Vampire Survivors.
Initially, I hesitated due to its overwhelming popularity, but I was pleasantly surprised by how engaging I found the gameplay.
Battling through waves of campy enemies inspired by Castlevania, I stepped into the role of Poppea Pecorina.
However, it was the launch of the Ode to Castlevania DLC this October that truly captivated me.
Being a longtime fan of the Castlevania series, I couldn’t resist the delightful homage to its legacy presented within this bullet-hell experience.
The DLC is nothing short of a celebration, offering one of the most substantial expansions I’ve encountered.
It features legendary characters like Simon, Trevor, and Richter—the quintessential Belmonts—alongside a fantastic array of lesser-known figures filling this tribute with surprises.
I particularly enjoyed discovering Quincy Morris, a character from Bram Stoker’s Dracula, who intriguingly enhances the lore, even if he has yet to feature in a classic Castlevania title.
Currently, the Castlevania franchise finds itself in a curious place.
With Konami not releasing a major title since Lords of Shadow 2 back in 2014 and allowing various developers to explore its adaptations and tributes, interest remains high.
The Netflix adaptation has certainly reignited enthusiasm, but this remarkable update to Vampire Survivors stands out as one of the most notable Castlevania entries in recent years.
Don’t wait to jump into this experience—get started today, especially if you’ve ever met an untimely end at the hands of a Medusa Head!
Source: Rockpapershotgun