GamesRoguelikeBalatroFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s biggest competition as the best-reviewed game of 2024 is the roguelike deck builder darling of Steam Next FestWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesRoguelikeBalatroFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s biggest competition as the best-reviewed game of 2024 is the roguelike deck builder darling of Steam Next FestWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Playstack)
Until the sterling evaluations ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthdropped earlier today, the best-reviewed game of 2024 was Balatro - a deck-building poker roguelike that seemed to take overSteam Next Fest.
Balatro’s Steam Next Fest demo proved to be one of thebig hits of the event, taking the basic rules of poker and turning it all on its head. The basic idea is that you get dealt cards and you need to build poker hands - a full house, a straight, a pair, and so on. Each hand has a particular payout in points and multipliers, earning you chips that you need to beat certain target scores.
The twist is, of course, that you get special cards you can use to alter your deck, improving your multipliers and giving you special situational bonuses to your score. As in any good roguelike, you’ll quickly find yourself working towards a theory of a build and cackling as everything comes together - or despairing when random elements put an end to your perfectly laid plans.
It’s a simple concept, easy to grasp, and the lightning quick rounds and upgrade selections make Balatro a breeze to play. It was the perfect formula for Steam Next Fest success, and it looks like the full version is just as engaging. Over onOpenCritic, Balatro has an average score of 92 points. That’s game of the year type praise right there, folks.
Up until just this morning, Balatro was the top-rated game of 2024, which is nothing to sneeze at given the praise heaped upon titles likeTekken 8,Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, andPrince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Now, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’sOpenCriticscore has settled in at a 93, just one point ahead of Balatro.
Putting Balatro up against FF7 Rebirth is a bit of an ‘apples versus bicycles’ comparison - an indie game from a mostly solo, anonymous designer up against a AAA JRPG with nearly three decades of anticipation behind it. But that’s just what makes the reception to Balatro so notable. It looks like this is one indie game that’s going to be standing above the crowd for some time to come.
Check out our interview exploringBalatro’s hype, its ingenious twists on Poker, and its mysterious creator.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1
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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”