It’s time for our annual countdown to award the very best games this year had to offer. Over the next ten days, we’ll count down our top ten games of 2024.
As always, the votes of each Press Start team member, weighted from #10 through to #1, were collated to compile our collective very best for the year that was. Games worthy of one’s top spot would be awarded a maximum of 10 points and the values would descend to their tenth selection, which would receive a single point.
If nothing else, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden proved that a riveting narrative, built largely around the loving relationship of two strong leads, is almost enough to carry a game to greatness.
The game focuses on a pair of ghost hunters named Red and Antea, who arrive in seventeenth-century New England with the aim of helping an old friend with an investigation. After a dire turn, Antea is killed leaving Red, who is now alone in the mortal realm, to pursue revenge against the demon who ended her life so that she ascend and find peace.
The game has action role-playing elements and while they’re all solid enough, it is the performances of both Russ Bain and Amaka Okafor, as Red and Antea respectively, that captivated us throughout. Their internal story pits love against duty, and it perhaps speaks to the year we had that neither of them were nominated at the Keighleys.
Although Don’t Nod’s big swing here didn’t bear commercial success, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden did capture the hearts of critics. Furthermore, it has earned the tenth spot on our Game of the Year.
Buy Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden on Amazon
In our review, James B. scored Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden a 9.5 out of 10 stating:
“Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is well beyond anything Don’t Nod has ever done. It successfully merges their renowned knack for solid characters and great stories, engaging and enjoyable combat, and a unique setting to create an experience like no other. It’s incredibly fun and easily the studio’s most ambitious game so far. It doesn’t get much better than this.”
On the review aggregator Metacritic, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is resting at an average of 78.
Congratulations to Don’t Nod for earning a place in our top ten for 2024.
Game of the Year 2024
#10 – Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
