best of 2024: video games

 A few notes before I begin:

- Because this list is so short, it's in preferential order.

- Not all of these were first released in 2024, but that's when I first played them.

- These were all played on the PS4, but they may be available on other systems as well.

- Those of you who follow me on social media and have seen me fawning over Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth might be shocked by its omission, but that's because I'm not even close to finishing it.  At this rate, I might not be done in time for next year's list!  There's just so much to do.  Hell, two of the substories are full games in and of themselves.

- And, as always, your mileage may vary.

1. The Man Who Erased His Name:  Kiryu Kazuma is working as a secret agent after going into hiding to protect his loved ones.  You can always count on RGG Studio to deliver the goods, and this is no exception.  It's got the same great characters, intriguing plot, and awesome side stories I expect from these games, but what I DIDN'T expect was to cry really fucking hard.

2. Like A Dragon: Ishin!:  Yakuza in the 1800s?  Why the hell not!  I was a little apprehensive about playing this because I'd heard some of the crafting/smithing was a nightmare, but for the most part it wasn't really necessary, and when it was I just passed the controller off to G because he's really good at that stuff.

3. The Quarry:  Surrounded by monsters and hostile locals, camp counselors try to survive their last night at Hackett's Quarry.  It was developed by the same studio as Until Dawn and shares the same gameplay mechanics.  It's not nearly as good or as scary, but it's still fun.