Game of the Year: Robert's Top 5 PS5 Games of 2024

Our individual Game of the Year articles allow our lovely team of writers and editors to share their own personal PS5 picks for 2024. Today, it's the turn of assistant editor Robert Ramsey.

5. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Look, I wasn't totally sold on Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The series' pivot to turn-based RPG-ing made for a fun new twist on the (arguably tired) Yakuza formula, but I thought the game's combat system was basic and unbalanced, and the elongated storytelling definitely dragged in places.

Thankfully, Infinite Wealth improves on basically everything — especially the combat. I played this one over the course of several months, in-between reviewing other games, and each time I was forced to stop and leave it for a week or two, I couldn't wait to get back to Ichiban and the gang.

I think it's a brilliantly mental game in ways that only Yakuza / Like a Dragon can be. It is a bit bloated in terms of structure and design, but the characters — and the sheer madness of their escapades — kept me hooked for close to 100 hours.

4. Trails through Daybreak

Trails through Daybreak always promised to be step up for Falcom's storied franchise, and while it's not quite my favourite instalment, it's yet another fantastic example of the developer's talent for world building and character writing.

Daybreak gets a bit too chatty at times (seriously, the amount of text is mind-blowing), but when it kicks into gear, it offers up some of the series' absolute best storytelling. What's more, the main cast — mostly made up of entirely new characters — is top tier. Van might just be the best Trails protagonist, too.

The stage is well and truly set for Trails through Daybreak 2 and Kai no Kiseki — and I can't wait to play them.

3. Persona 3 Reload

I feel like Persona 3 Reload deserves a lot more credit than it's getting — especially in all of these Game of the Year articles. For me, this is one of the best remakes I've ever played, straight up.

And part of that is down to me being a total Persona 3 fanboy — I get that. But I think Atlus did an amazing job of refining that classic PS2 RPG for a modern audience.

For the record, Persona 5 Royal remains the pinnacle of Persona in my eyes — but there's actually something about Reload's more streamlined structure that I prefer. It feels less... padded, even though it adds some welcome nuance to its characters through extended social links.

Person 3 Reload is just such a neat and tidy recreation; it's outstandingly slick and smooth to a point where I'd argue that it's the definitive vision.

2. Dragon's Dogma 2

Dragon's Dogma 2 is far from being the definitive Dragon's Dogma experience; I still can't decide whether I like it more or less than the first game. But I do know that many of the most memorable gaming moments I had in 2024 happened while I was playing this engrossing open world RPG.

And for me, those moments can really elevate an entire experience — especially in hindsight. Dragon's Dogma 2 has obvious flaws — it would be madness to try and deny that — but what it does it well, it does spectacularly.

I fell in love with the game's sense of adventure; the dynamic journeys that occur as you trek between quest objectives. I remember the first time I travelled to the desert region of Bakbattahl — I took the long way around, through treacherous caves and across foreboding cliffs.

I had no idea where I was going, but that session solidified Dragon's Dogma 2 as one of my favourites of the year. I was completely immersed, and that counts for so much in modern gaming.

1. Metaphor: ReFantazio

I spent weeks trying to decide my Game of the Year for 2024; all of the games on this list were in contention at one point or another. But eventually, I had to settle on Metaphor: ReFantazio.

It's just such a memorable, impactful RPG. A new property from Atlus, which was always exciting in itself, that actually manages to stand on its own thanks to its fantasy setting and consistently intriguing tone.

The characters, the combat, the sense of adventure (an important theme in this list, I'm beginning to realise), the art direction, the soundtrack... It all culminates in an RPG that feels rich, vibrant, and perhaps most importantly, unique.

The sign of a truly great game, though? That's when you want to play it again as soon as the credits roll. I haven't had time for a New Game+ run, but it's an inevitability in 2025.

What do you think of Robert's personal Game of the Year picks? Feel free to agree wholeheartedly, or disagree politely, in the comments section below.