December and January are busy times of the year, particularly in gaming. We often try to finish off the endless backlog of games, debate controversial Best of lists on social media, and wait patiently for next year's heavy hitters.
Many forget that new games are constantly being released during these months, some of which deserve your consideration. With that in mind, below are some hidden gems from the latter parts of 2024 you may have overlooked over Christmas.
Indiana Jones: The Great Circle
Indiana Jones: The Great Circle is an original adventure featuring the world-famous archaeologist in his prime. It is a game filled with endless mysteries and puzzles, blending elements of action, stealth, and adventure seamlessly together. Had the game been released earlier in the year, it would most definitely have charted high on Best Of lists from 2024.
Set in the 1930s, the story takes place during the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Last Crusade. A mysterious break-in at Marshall College propels Dr. Jones back into his stylish fedora to become the intrepid adventurer once more. Now, he must travel around the world, tracking down clues on where and why a specific artefact was taken from his collection. He'll uncover countless other secrets, forge new alliances, and face familiar foes, all with his trusty bullwhip on hand.
A front-row seat to action and adventure
With its ambitious mix of gameplay, I was initially wary of The Great Circle being first-person. Similar titles like Uncharted made the third-person perspective seem like the natural fit for hybrid games. And yet, in the opening levels, the game had converted me to its vision.
You find yourself threading through a thick jungle, peeling back vegetation, and wading across streams. You tip-toe through a dark cave with two shifty guides on either side. One wrong step and lethal traps appear. You'll spin your camera around 360 just to take in the scope of the danger. Quick reactions see you grapple from danger and run for your life. It's only been a few short minutes, but The Great Circle plays like your very own personal Hollywood epic, placing you in the director's chair.
The sense of exploration is amplified through every location visited. You know you should tread carefully, but your curiosity will always get the better of you. Each place feels immersive, with faithful recreations of buildings, costumes, and sounds begging you to take a closer look. The Vatican City, for example, is one of your first missions and is a labyrinth of twisting corridors, dusty tombs, picturesque chapels, and untold secrets to discover. It's so easy to become a tourist, where you'll temporarily forgo whatever clue you're hunting to take in visuals like the Sistine Chapel, if only for a few moments.
Immersive combat as gripping as the puzzles
Given the game is set before WWII, fascists patrol the streets, raising your guard to an all-time high. And it wouldn't be an Indy epic without other nefarious forces gunning for him. This introduces high-stakes exploration around every corner. As you scale scaffolding, sneak through tunnels, and pilfer clues from chests, you must remain out of sight from endless foes who skulk in the shadows.
At some point, your cover will be blown. And you'll need to take decisive action. Thankfully, everything in your surroundings can be weaponized. From broom handles and candlesticks to bats and Indy's fists, you can fend off attacks when needed. And with a quick crack of your bullwhip, you can disarm enemies, scare away attack dogs, or climb out of harm's way.
Combat can sometimes feel comical as you dispatch foes with a trusty frying. But indulge in the silliness. All of this taps into the absolute maverick that is Indiana Jones – he is resourceful and always comes out on top against all the odds.
Altogether, The Great Circle offers gamers a fantastic opportunity to sink their teeth into some well-needed mystery. A special congratulations goes to Troy Baker, whose performance as Indy in the game is stellar. Taking on the virtual shoes of a young Harrison Ford was no easy feat, but you can't help but think this is only the beginning of Baker's own stint in the role.
Although an original tale, the game feels like a quintessential part of the Indiana Jones legacy. If you missed this gem in December, now is the time to correct that mistake.
Indiana Jones: The Great Circle is available to play on Xbox Series X/S and PC. A PlayStation 5 version will be released in the future
Infinity Nikki
With a whopping 20 million downloads globally in just one month, Infinity Nikki has captured the imagination of fashionistas worldwide. This free-to-play game blends cosy action-adventure with puzzles, designs, and all things cute.
You play as Nikki, a stylist on a quest to travel the nations of Miraland in search of the fabled Miracle Outfits. Accompanied by her trusty cat sidekick, Momo, Nikki discovers new fashions, learns new magical abilities, and flexes her creativity to duel other stylists she encounters.
For a game based on fashion, it's no surprise that vivid graphics and bursts of color are found at every corner. An endless sea of pinks, purples, and yellows will surround you at all times. The items Nikki can equip are equally beautiful, and gamers are already flooding social media with unique creations from the game's generous supply of cosmetics.
With an enormous player base onboard from its debut in December, the pressure will be on Chinese developers Papergames to stay ahead of the trends for the coming year. This is one to watch, but Nikki has already made a sizeable splash in the fashion world.
Infinity Nikki is available to play on PlayStation 5, Android and iOS devices, and PC
Marvel Rivals
With the catastrophic failure of Sony's Concord, many people thought that hero-shooters were destined to become extinct. And yet, the recent full-scale release of Marvel Rivals proves that the genre is still very much open for business. The game has been a resounding smash hit, with hundreds of thousands of players online at any given time.
In Rivals, you play alongside five other players and try to beat the opposing team by any means necessary. As a hero shooter, every character has unique abilities and synergies, making no two games run quite the same. Having played an early beta version last year, I was surprised to see the game managed to elevate the action and chaos of rounds, thanks to its enormous spread of playable heroes.
From Iron Man and The Hulk to Scarlet Switch, Spiderman, Storm, to the Guardians of the Galaxy, no stone is left unturned in the expansive cinematic universe. And the rapid pace of new characters being released, such as the Fantastic Four in Season 1, means that all your favourites will make their way into the game at some point.
While Marvel fans wait patiently for any news of the fabled Wolverine and Blade games, Marvel Rivals will surely fill the gap. And with its play base exploding across all platforms, I'm going to hedge my bets, and this will become the new battleground for future Marvel stories.
Marvel Rivals is available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
The Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered
It may have taken over 25 years, but fans of vampire Raziel are in luck – as he's been reborn anew, thanks to an ambitious remaster of The Legacy of Kain and its sequel. Packaging two titles in one go, this remaster manages to preserve the cult video game classic in all its gothic glory.
In Legacy, you play the vampire-turned-wraith Raziel, who must journey across the world of Nosgoth with the blessings of an Elder God to enact revenge on those who betrayed him. The game feels close to the original, but has some welcome bells and whistles attached.
New quality-of-life features include a map and compass to help guide you through quests, improved camera angles for a better platforming experience, and a photo mode to capture Raziel in all his undead glory.
Fans of the originals can toggle between the original and remastered visuals and textures with just a simple button press, and there's even bonus material to delve into the lore of Nosgoth like never before. In an era of remakes and remasters, The Legacy of Kain Remastered is another fine example of bringing an old game into a new era with a bang.
The Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered is available to play on PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch
