2024 has already proved to be a great year for gaming, with a mixture of brand-new titles that push gameplay to new heights, as well as remasters that revisit the industry's golden era.
Below is a selection of games released in the past few months that will delight gamers of all interests.
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered
As one of gaming's first and greatest heroines, Lara Croft's return to consoles has been long overdue. Tomb Raider I-III Remastered allows players to travel back to 1996 and revisit the world-famous archaeologist and her revolutionary debut.
Three classic games are included in this compilation, providing a generous look at Croft in her prime. Whether it’s exploring ancient temple ruins, jungles, deserts, or the iconic Croft Manor, nothing can prepare you for the pure nostalgia the sights and sounds these games will reignite in you.
Gamers can play the entire collection with original graphics or, at any point, switch to a remastered look, complete with new lighting, high-resolution textures, and more. No doubt you’ll cycle between the two just to marvel at how far the game has come.
Graphics aside, Tomb Raider Remastered doesn’t change much from the original game’s formula. This is the game of your childhood, which is both a blessing and a curse, depending on how well you can control Lara.
In typical Tomb Raider fashion, expect unforgiving levels and random camera angle pivots at the most unpleasant of times. Never have I died so many times in a game’s opening level as this game, where even the slightest mistimed step or jump sends poor Lara into a pit of spikes, quicksand, or worse. It is the perfect blend of fun and frustration.
You can choose between two control setups, the original or a new modern set, to help you control her better. But even then, the game never tries to hold your hand (or help you) at any point. Lara is alone, without clues or hints to guide her except intuition and luck.
You learn solutions to levels as you play. Sometimes, this involves finding secret passages hidden in plain sight. Other times, it activates switches underwater with limited air supply. You will need expert precision, reactions, and patience to escape each location with your sanity in one piece.
Tigers, wolves, and the occasional T-Rex lie around the corner, reminding you that Lara Croft is as much a gunslinger as an acrobat. Face these challenges and unlock almost invisible secrets and artifacts for the ultimate platform challenge.
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered is masterful in bringing the golden age of Lara Croft to a new era. It also shows the importance of digital preservation – being able to play (and own) older games that may otherwise be lost to time. And with the universal acclaim granted on Lara’s revisit to the past, it’s a safe bet to say her entire back catalogue will get a similar touch of love soon.
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered is available to play on PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is a polished-up version of one of gaming's most acclaimed and controversial sequels. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where a fungus has ravaged civilisation, the story follows Ellie and Joel, who return to Jackson in a vain attempt to lead normal lives. But fate has other plans in store...
Endless infected lie in wait throughout the world, ready to ambush you when your health, ammo, and wits are at their lowest. It’s a game where every corner is treated with suspicion and where no amount of light will put your mind at ease.
One question gamers might have from the offset is whether a remaster was warranted here. The original came out in 2020, after all.
Despite the name, this game is more of a director’s cut than a remaster. While there have been attempts to improve the graphics and visuals of the game, these changes are not that noticeable. Certainly not to the degree as the previously mentioned Tomb Raider package.
That said, TLOUP2 Remastered is still the finest execution of the game you can play, thanks to some new features and game modes. The new roguelike survival mode, No Return, is the star attraction, which challenges combatants to a series of randomized encounters against enemies, all building toward challenging boss fights.
Additionally, hours of additional director commentary are added to the game, and early development versions of unreleased levels give fans of the series even more content to savour. Unlockable skins also add more content to a game that many of us have no problem replaying numerous times.
Players who own a copy of the original game can upgrade their version for €10. For newcomers, this version offers the best way to enjoy one of gaming’s most creative titles and will give you the lowdown on new characters set to hit your screens in season 2 of the acclaimed TV show.
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is available to play on PlayStation 5.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a side-scrolling action-adventure game that takes the now 30-year-old franchise to even greater heights. It is easily one of the hidden gems of the year's gaming thus far.
You play as Sargon, a legendary warrior and member of the famous Immortals. From the offset, there's an invasion happening in Persia. A prince has just been kidnapped. There’s betrayal and magic aplenty. The game spares no time to get to the point of the crisis your nation is facing.
Whether you’re exploring the many secrets of Mount Qaf or fighting against an endless supply of bandits and mythological monsters, controlling Sargon feels effortless. He is a natural acrobat, able to chain combos together mid-flight, hack and slash enemies, tumble and dive at precise moments, and more.
Combat is lightning-fast and fun to master, and in every fight, you will be in constant motion, bouncing from side to side and timing attacks with precision. Boss fights will have predictable mechanics that force your muscle memory and reactions into overdrive.
All the while, Sargon will continue to learn new abilities, including the signature time-bending and access to new weapons that will transform ordinary fights into cinematic spectacles. And once the fighting stops, no doubt your eyes will continue to scan the scenery for a few moments longer to check for even the faintest hint of a secret or two to uncover.
Altogether, Lost Crown is an impressive addition to the Prince of Persia legacy. As a stand-alone story, you don’t need to have experienced previous titles to understand or enjoy it. With a combat system with this active and level design, this stylish, ancient Persia never felt or looked this fresh.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is available to play on PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Finally, one of the biggest surprises of the year thus far, for good and bad reasons, has been Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
As the name suggests, you play as a rag-band team of supervillains, including the unhinged Harley Quinn, the loose-tongued Captain Boomerang, the solemn King Shark, and the assassin, Deadshot. Their task? Save Metropolis from a corrupted Justice League. Their motivation? Try to keep the bombs in their head from exploding.
Combat in this game is the definition of 'spray-and-pray,' where each character can unleash a torrent of bullets at enemies at every opportunity and in all directions. One moment, you’ll be sharpshooting a helicopter from the rooftops, only to dive into an army of aliens and fight at close range on the city streets.
Cut scenes are incredibly detailed, offering some of the best facial animations found in gaming, with dialogue that always delivers on the funny and reminds you that, as villains, political correctness has well and truly left the building.
That said, Suicide Squad does hit some sour notes on occasion, which may be the deciding factor for some gamers on whether to buy now or wait and see how it fairs with updates. There’s repetition to some of the game’s core missions, and collecting new weapons on a near-constant basis can get old.
As a live-service game, players must wait for periodic free content releases over the next year to piece the full story together. These updates will include brand-new playable characters, such as a brand-new Joker in March, which can hopefully keep the momentum for the game to reach the full story.
Ultimately, there’s no denying that Suicide Squad is fun, zany, and chaotic. Its four antiheroes bring their own signature level of chaos to the forefront, and there’s a foundation there for a promising game. Time will tell whether the villains of the DC universe can polish out the kinks and have their very own happy ending by the year’s end.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
