The best video games of 2024 so far

Channelling the sci-fi military satire and extreme gloopy gore of Starship Troopers, Helldivers 2 was a surprise mega hit on its launch in February. Looking back we shouldn't have been shocked: it delivers engrossing, hilarious co-op action in a range of desolate landscapes against horrible insects and crazed robots, and it makes each fight feel like part of a much wider story – a factor heightened by Arrowhead Game Studios' excellent use of social media channels. What we said: "Everything about this game is ridiculous, including how good it is at what it sets out to do." Read the full review The set-up is not wildly promising: you play as a blob, stuck down a well. But this winding puzzle platformer is an ethereal delight, dense in atmosphere, with visuals that look like a lost 1980s arcade game glimpsed through a window. You explore, you learn new skills, you see lovely creatures.