Johnathan Walker:The 8 best video games of 2024 (so far)

Not sure who hit the fast-forward button,Johnathan Walker but the year is already half-over.

Despite the swift passage of time, we've managed to squeeze in plenty of gameplay over the past few months.

While some great titles from 2023 still have quite a bit of our attention (looking at you, Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Baldur's Gate 3, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Diablo IV, Marvel's Spider-Man 2), there are plenty of solid recently released ones.

In no particular order, here are some of the best video games of 2024, so far:

Tekken 8 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

Who knew family reunions could be so violent! In this latest installment in the long-running Tekken fighting game series, father Kazuya Mishima and son Jin Kazama are back for a (supposed) final confrontation, along with Jin's mom, Jun Kazama, and other familiar faces. In addition to the usual characters and moves, Tekken 8 introduced new fighting mechanics, keeping things fresh.

More:7 new and upcoming video games for summer 2024, including Luigi's Mansion 2 HD

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

The newest addition to the Prince of Persia series is side-scrolling action set in a beautiful landscape. In Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, you play as a warrior Sargon on a rescue mission, solving puzzles, using acrobatics (parkour!) to navigate the world and engaging in combat with a variety of enemies.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Switch)

Mario is seeking treasure and looking for Peach in this papery title. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is a remake of the beloved GameCube classic and, while faithful to the original, it builds on that game and its gameplay, offering more to new players. See more on Paper Mario and what you need to know about the game.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (PS5)

The action RPG Final Fantasy VII Rebirth picks up after the events of Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020). The game is engaging, engrossing and challenging but rewarding. There is so much to explore and so many details in what is reportedly the second part of a planned trilogy, it's hard to leave. Bring on the third one, please.

Princess Peach: Showtime! (Switch)

The whole world is a stage for Princess Peach as she gets her moment to shine. Princess Peach: Showtime! might feel a little rushed and simplistic in spots, but it's an overall fun one. And it's great to see Peach as the protagonist, owning the spotlight. For more on Showtime!, we broke down the game and what you need to know here.

More:Nintendo Direct: Here's what's coming, including new 'Legend of Zelda,' 'Metroid Prime'

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (PS5, Xbox Series S/X, PC)

Yes, the award-winning base game released in 2022, but the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC expands so much, it makes revisiting or rediscovering this game or picking it up for the first time an immersive treat.

Sticky Business (Switch, PC)

In Sticky Business, the work never ends and will pile up on you, if you're not careful, but somehow it's all very relaxing. This cozy game has you running a sticker shop where you design stickers, add listings to your site, fulfill and pack orders, read notes from your customers and ship off your creations, sometimes with little treats. Sticky Business is creative, calming and has a sweet, inclusive vibe. If you're looking for more suggestions on relaxing and peaceful games, we have a whole list of some of the best cozy games we've played so far this year.

Bonus: Stardew Valley 1.6 (Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, PC)

The anticipated 1.6 update for Stardew Valley has yet to release for consoles, but makes the list anyway. The update brings so much new content to the popular game and breathes fresh life into this ultimate cozy life sim (though many of us never slowed or stopped playing). There's a reason Stardew is the title against which so many cozy and farming sim games are compared.