Not every game needs to throw you into a big world where you may wander around endlessly. Quite often, some of the best experiences in the gaming medium are done through tighter, more linear experiences. This type of game design really lets developers better control the pacing, storytelling, and atmosphere of the games to fit their specific vision.
Linear games are great at keeping things focused and delivering strong storytelling and memorable moments. In 2024, there was a nice variety of some great linear games that really showed how great this style of game can be, and how the genre is as compelling as ever.
Ninja Theory was acquired by Xbox in 2018, and Hellblade 2 was their first exclusive, skipping PlayStation. This is a game that puts you back in a dark and twisted world. It continues the story of the titular protagonist, Senua, a warrior with severe mental struggles from the previous game.
The graphics are extremely life-like, which really helps with the type of narrative the game is going for. There are a lot of intense and dark moments that can make the players feel uncomfortable, but it’s a rewarding gameplay experience that is very captivating with its psychological elements.
Stellar Blade was the first big offering of the Korean studio Shift Up, with some backing from Sony. The game takes place in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic setting. The lore is interesting, with a few similarities to NieR Automata’s world. The game’s combat is fast and fluid, and the boss fights are worthwhile.
While the game does have two open-ended sandbox areas, all of the main missions take place in linear locations and utilize linear storytelling. The central hub area is also home to a lot of interesting NPCs with great designs that set you off on side quests that develop the world and characters well.
Prince of Persona: The Lost Crown takes players back to the 2D platforming and puzzle-solving that they enjoyed in the original games. The art direction is solid, with vibrant colors and smooth animations.
The game is set in a mythological Persian world and follows Sargon, a warrior with time-manipulating abilities. The level design leans toward Metroidvania-style exploration, and the combat combines melee attacks with magical abilities. It wasa worthwhile entry in the franchise, especially for old-school fans.
The single-player component of Space Marine 2 drops you right into the gritty and expansive universe of Warhammer 40,000. You play as asuperhuman Space Marine, smashing through hordes of Tyranids with a mix of both melee and ranged combat.
The sheer number of hundreds of Tyranids on screen was always impressive. This game borrowed the technology used in another Saber Interactive game, World War Z. It finally provided a great narrative-driven experience in a universe that usually leans more toward strategy and tabletop gaming.
The Plucky Squire is a very charming and creative adventure with a mix of 2D and 2.5D gameplay. You play as a storybook hero who jumps in and out between the pages of a book and the real world.
There’s a good variety of puzzles, platforming, and light combat that keeps the gameplay loop fresh and engaging. The levels were rather creative, and you wouldn’t be amiss to liken it to 2021’s It Takes Two in how it constantly keeps changing things up with its creativity.
While Indiana Jones and the Great Circle mixes various gameplay genres, it keeps its narrative linear. You explore three large sandbox areas with great historical recreation, but they’re more like big levels rather than open worlds.
The game also has many nice, linear sequences that focus more on the action-adventure aspects of the character and the narrative. Immersive sim-inspired gameplay isn’t something you immediately think of when making an Indiana Jones game, but it worked surprisingly well here.
Persona 3 Reload is an extremely stylish remake of the 2006 original. Just like other Persona games, it primarily features acast of high school characters. And also like other Persona games, it features turn-based combat and social-sim mechanics.
Everything from the UI to the music to the character designs drips with that signature Persona style, and everything looked and felt great. It reimagines certain gameplay elements, smooths out rough edges from the original, and expands on your party members a bit more than it did in the original game.
Astro Bot might not have been the most hyped game of 2024, but it sure surprised a lot of people with just how good it was. The game builds on the groundwork laid out in Astro’s Playroom and expands it into a full adventure.
The platforming is tight and filled with variety, and it has plenty of nods to PlayStation’s history, showing love not only for first-party titles and their characters but also for the brand’s various third-party partnerships over the years. It’s very much a celebration of the PlayStation brand, and hopefully its success might push PlayStation to create more games like it.
The original Silent Hill 2 is one of the most iconic horror games, and 2024’s remake was even better in a few ways. It did a great job of recreating the creepy story, unsettling atmosphere, and psychological horror.
The remake keeps the same story and basic structure but greatly updates the visuals, combat, and sound design to make it feel fresh for modern players without losing any of its essence. The music, especially the expanded sequences during the cutscenes, added a lot to the experience, and some of the supporting cast had a bit more of a role too.
