Gaming 2024

Games: These were this year’s tops and flops

Metacritic.com has been calculating an average value, the so-called Metascore, for each listed title since 2001 on the basis of ratings from relevant media and gamers.(Bild: issaronow -stock.adobe.com)

2024 once again brought us numerous computer and video games. Many of them were very exciting, some less so. The rating website Metacritic.com knows which games performed best and worst in the favor of critics and players last year.

Since 2001, Metacritic.com has been calculating an average value, the so-called Metascore, for each listed title on the basis of ratings from relevant media and gamers - and thus provides an important indicator for the industry as well as the public. Towards the end of the year, the portal reveals which games received the best and worst ratings this year.

The flops
The biggest "cucumber" of the year, with a Metascore of just 23 points, was the shooter "Utopia City", which had already been released in Europe in 2006 (!), but for reasons that Metacritic says are "inexplicable" suddenly appeared on Steam the previous month and thus made the leap across the pond to the USA.

With a Metascore of 41 ex aequo, the mobile game "Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat", one of the "most joyless games" according to "Destructoid", and the VR horror adventure "HappyFunland", which, in addition to decent humor and concept, was unfortunately characterized by many technical flaws, fared slightly better. Fourth place with 43 points went to the underdeveloped "Food Truck Simulator" for Xbox One - the complete top ten worst games of 2024 can be found here.

The flops
And at the other end of the scale, i.e. at the top? With a metascore of 94 points, three titles are tied for first place and can therefore boast of being the best or most popular game of 2024. These are the Elden Ring expansion "Shadow of the Erdtree", Sony's "Astro Bot", which was already named "Game of the Year" at this year's Game Awards, and "Metaphor: ReFantazio".

They are followed by "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth" and "Slay the Princss - The Pristine Cut" with 92 points each, followed by the game collection "UFO 50", "Animal Well" and "Satisfactory" with a Metascore of 91 each.