> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.vjarmy.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Hidden Gaming Gems of 2024 - URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/hidden-gaming-gems-of-2024/ - Published: 2024-12-30T05:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-02-06T22:17:09.000Z - Description: I'd rather focus this year on the titles closer to the margins and the tiny releases that are easy to miss if someone isn't directly telling you about them. - Author: Dan Dickinson - Tags: Games, Year-End Content [It's been four years](https://vjarmy.com/archives/tag/games2020?ref=vjarmy.com) since I've done an end of year gaming round-up, and the itch to write has returned, since 2024 was a pretty solid year for games. That said: I'd rather focus this year on the titles closer to the margins and the tiny releases that are easy to miss if someone isn't directly telling you about them. I don't need to be the one to tell you [Balatro](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2379780/Balatro/?ref=vjarmy.com) is good, or that the [Like A Dragon series](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2072450/Like%5Fa%5FDragon%5FInfinite%5FWealth/?ref=vjarmy.com) is the best it's ever been, or that the new [Indiana Jones](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2677660/Indiana%5FJones%5Fand%5Fthe%5FGreat%5FCircle/?ref=vjarmy.com) game is pretty neat. (And I refuse to admit how much time I continue to sink into Fortnite.) Games are in purchase order. All links are to Steam although many of these are available on other platforms. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/53/7a/537a8df0-a25f-4592-ba2a-1d40c8d47705/content/images/2026/02/ss_425e30234b1c4bafb35ed07fbc7776856f339649.1920x1080.jpg) [**Twenty Small Mazes**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2570630/20%5FSmall%5FMazes/?ref=vjarmy.com) – I can't say it better than the actual game description: "This is a puzzle game with twenty small mazes. They're good mazes, though." Free to boot. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/53/7a/537a8df0-a25f-4592-ba2a-1d40c8d47705/content/images/2026/02/ss_982080bacf902704b571e69f8b1af5ea9cbbcca0.1920x1080.jpg) [**The Brew Barons**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1636710/The%5FBrew%5FBarons/?ref=vjarmy.com) – an arcade-style flight sim in the name of building your business homebrewing beer. No, that doesn't make a lot of sense writing it out either, but trust me. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/53/7a/537a8df0-a25f-4592-ba2a-1d40c8d47705/content/images/2026/02/ss_ea0a3dcf1a509e31f836acdafaf1d99e29de5786.1920x1080.jpg) [**Minishoot' Adventures**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1634860/Minishoot%5FAdventures/?ref=vjarmy.com) – 2D Zelda-style exploration + twinstick bullet hell work shockingly well together. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/53/7a/537a8df0-a25f-4592-ba2a-1d40c8d47705/content/images/2026/02/ss_5fb55deabca4eb6e739dbc7349d22aa812f19345.1920x1080.jpg) [**Lorelei and the Laser Eyes**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2008920/Lorelei%5Fand%5Fthe%5FLaser%5FEyes/?ref=vjarmy.com) – somewhere between Resident Evil 2 and the Rusty Lake series lies this wonderful puzzle hunt. Of the video game spaces I spent time in this year, Hotel Letztes Jahr will be the most memorable. Bonus points for [the phenomenal soundtrack](https://music.apple.com/us/album/lorelei-and-the-laser-eyes/1745401906?ref=vjarmy.com) by Daniel Olsén, Linnea Olsson & Jonathan Eng. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/53/7a/537a8df0-a25f-4592-ba2a-1d40c8d47705/content/images/2026/02/ss_3014cc35ff08c47aee950e8a4bbb38cc4673974b.1920x1080.jpg) [**\[ECHOSTASIS\]**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1558000/ECHOSTASIS/?ref=vjarmy.com) – the conclusion to the \[ENIGMA\] Trilogy (and practically three games in one itself), \[ECHOSTASIS\] is a sobering and unnerving first person existential crisis. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/53/7a/537a8df0-a25f-4592-ba2a-1d40c8d47705/content/images/2026/02/ss_6521f862e618f3c547a5a3fcbd9260ebc222b837.1920x1080.jpg) [**New Star GP**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2217580/New%5FStar%5FGP/?ref=vjarmy.com) – driving games are always a struggle; the balance between "arcade driftfest" and "simulation hell" is not one many devs can hit. But New Star Games holds the racing line perfectly in this F1-style joy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/53/7a/537a8df0-a25f-4592-ba2a-1d40c8d47705/content/images/2026/02/ss_c624fda9191859781cf9b34a6563c1953d977800.1920x1080.jpg) [**Thank Goodness You're Here!**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2366980/Thank%5FGoodness%5FYoure%5FHere/?ref=vjarmy.com) – the funniest game of the year, by a country mile. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/53/7a/537a8df0-a25f-4592-ba2a-1d40c8d47705/content/images/2026/02/ss_1122a4a7517492d11424dab4589d4df1dbf54861.1920x1080.jpg) [**The DevCats "Full Of Cats" Series**](https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/25142/Devcats/?ref=vjarmy.com) – I stumbled onto DevCats last year, and my rule of thumb has quickly become "I see a new DevCats release, I buy it and play nothing else for a few hours". This happened three times this year: Stray Cats in Cozy Town; A Park Full Of Cats; and A Shelter Full of Cats. Finding little kittens hidden in a giant environment is tremendous stress relief, and the proceeds go to cat charities. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/53/7a/537a8df0-a25f-4592-ba2a-1d40c8d47705/content/images/2026/02/ss_f48fdad9a143272bc099c2db18f124cc81440444.1920x1080.jpg) [**I Am Your Beast**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1876590/I%5FAm%5FYour%5FBeast/?ref=vjarmy.com) – I remain in awe of Xalavier Nelson Jr.'s range. This is my Hotline Miami 3. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/53/7a/537a8df0-a25f-4592-ba2a-1d40c8d47705/content/images/2026/02/BA15B086896974F2F36DA3A739D03BF7F81C970F-1980x1114.jpeg) [**UFO 50**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1147860/UFO%5F50/?ref=vjarmy.com) – not the lowest of profile releases, but having been stuck in development for years, flew under the radar more than I thought. A collective of the best indie devs make a fake console and knock out 50 unique games. I played nothing else for the two days that we lived at the airport trying to get home in October. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/53/7a/537a8df0-a25f-4592-ba2a-1d40c8d47705/content/images/2026/02/ss_1d341bdf6f45eb492a3e1aa75c24a241668e319f.1920x1080.jpg) [**Nodebuster**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3107330/Nodebuster/?ref=vjarmy.com) – I pretty much always have an incremental or idle game in progress to fall back on. Nodebuster was the one of those I enjoyed the most this year. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/53/7a/537a8df0-a25f-4592-ba2a-1d40c8d47705/content/images/2026/02/ss_0ac6c95f255497bf0dbd64bd5378b2f217ac541d.1920x1080.jpg) [**Up To Par**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1384660/Up%5Fto%5FPar/?ref=vjarmy.com) – I am a sucker for rogulikes and a big fan of mini-golf, so roguelike mini-golf was always going to speak to me. Still being refined (the progression can be a little rough), but does what it says on the tin. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/53/7a/537a8df0-a25f-4592-ba2a-1d40c8d47705/content/images/2026/02/ss_dc66e3aa9365c4e3cf9051678e477117a6da0d2b.1920x1080.jpg) [**The Rise of the Golden Idol**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2716400/The%5FRise%5Fof%5Fthe%5FGolden%5FIdol/?ref=vjarmy.com) – a great sequel to 2022's *The Case of the Golden Idol*, and quite a bit more accessible and enjoyable all around. Really looking forward to the DLC.