Alongside our Game of the Year top 10 list and personal picks from the Push Square editorial team, we are recognising the best PS5 games of 2024 in select categories. Today is the turn of the best PS5 story game of 2024.
Bronze Trophy: Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
The original Life Is Strange developer DON'T NOD is best known for its spectacular narratives all about teenagers, but in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, it's grown up a little to create its most mature — and possibly greatest — story to date.
You play as the ghost-hunting couple Red and Antea, who travel to New Eden at the height of a haunting in 1695. When his partner is killed by the curse, Red faces a dilemma while trying to rid the town of the ghosts possessing it: does he use their spirits to bring back Antea from the dead or perform the job he's there to do and banish the spirits? You get to dictate that with your actions throughout the story, and it results in one of the best narrative campaigns on PS5.
Read our Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden PS5 review through the link.
Silver Trophy: Silent Hill 2
A faithful remake of the PS2 original, Bloober Team has brought back the story of James Sunderland and his quest to find his dead wife somewhere in the town of Silent Hill. Back in 2002, the plot was one of the most hard-hitting around, particularly as you approached the conclusion and worked out the real dynamics of James' relationship with his wife.
22 years later, it's still gut-wrenching. Bloober Team hasn't messed with the gripping narrative whatsoever, which means it's one of 2024's best — just as it was all those years ago. The Polish developer has only added to the lore, in actual fact, creating two new endings that tap into fan theories created in the decades since the original's launch. It's a superb way to handle a remake, and from a plot perspective, Silent Hill 2 is still one of the very best in the survival horror genre.
Read our Silent Hill 2 PS5 review through the link.
Gold Trophy: Metaphor: ReFantazio
In a political break from Persona, developer Atlus has crafted another memorable story, universe, and cast of characters in Metaphor: ReFantazio. Following the murder of the king, you'll embark on a campaign to take the throne for yourself, recruiting supporters and fending off evil that might use such power for their personal gain. The main story comfortably competes with previous Atlus efforts, delivering twists, turns, double-crosses, and all the intrigue and suspense you'd expect to maintain your interest through an 80-hour story.
Surrounding the narrative is a group of tight-knit friends you recruit and develop friendships with, and levelling up the bond you share opens up new scenarios and heartfelt situations. To see the likes of Maria develop is an utter joy, and helping characters such as Heismay and Eupha leads to some of the best scenes in the game.
Making an effort with both the core narrative and the stories off to the side helps create one of the very best storytelling experiences of 2024. Consistently excellent and heartfelt, Metaphor: ReFantazio is an essential playthrough for anyone who considers the story critical to their video game-playing experience.
Read our Metaphor: ReFantazio PS5 review through the link.
Platinum Trophy: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
With two main characters at once, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth kind of feels like two games worth of stories in one. As Ichiban Kasuga is searching for his mother in Hawaii, the veteran Kazuma Kiryu has his own personal problems to deal with. The two regularly come together for the same narrative beats, but this 70+ hour journey is so very rich in plot that nothing else released in 2024 could even come close to challenging it.
Alongside the sublime main narrative are the wild and wacky side stories you'd expect of a Like a Dragon entry, and they provide some light-hearted breaks from the serious nature of Ichiban's and Kiryu's efforts. This mixture of contrasting tones gives Infinite Wealth its unique charm, forming an overall plot direction that's just as emotional as it is serious and comedic. Nothing else does it quite like Yakuza / Like a Dragon, and that's why it's consistently one of the best.
Read our Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth PS5 review through the link.
Do you agree with our picks for the best PS5 story game of 2024? Post your thoughts in the comments below and check out more of our Game of the Year coverage through the link.
What was your favourite PS5 story game of 2024? (868 votes)
- Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Metaphor: ReFantazio
- Persona 3 Reload
- Silent Hill 2
- Still Wakes the Deep
- Trails through Daybreak
- Other
Comments 33
‘ but this 70+ hour journey is so very rich in plot’
It’s bloated. It’s sophomoric. And it’s definitely no Rebirth.
@scoobdoo to be fair, Rebirth is bloated too
@scoobdoo i felt rebirths bloat more than infinite wealths personally. Both enjoyable but Ichiban and Kiryus story won me over more
Anyone got any suggestions of some other indie games that should be in the running in the category this year?
@ThomasHL nobody wants to die.
I thought Trails Through Daybreak had pretty good story, a lot of back story for almost every character as well and some wtf moments. The kind of game you honestly don't know who's good or bad.
Still Wakes The Deep
A Quiet Place The Road Ahead
Slitterhead
The Thaumaturge
Banishers gets my vote. I can’t believe how little credit the game has received this year.
Id say quality over quantity but Metaphor has a good long story.
Like a Dragon is like a soap opera. It's hardly worthy of a nod for best story.
I recently played through all of Infinite Wealth, and as a big Yakuza fan, I honestly thought its story was a bit rubbish. Poor pacing, endless chatter and a big plot strand involving one of the main characters that wasn't even resolved.
First list I don’t want to riot over, I am growing as a person, nice list team!
I actually agree Infinite Wealth had one of the best stories of the year. I voted for Persona 3 only because I’d never played the original so it was an excellent experience. It’s so funny how upset people are getting about these arbitrary rankings though new vitriol with every article
@Tsushima I‘ve heard very good things about The Thaumaturge. Another significant game which lacks a proper PushSquare review.
You listed nine games to vote for. I have only played one of them.
I have played Dragon Age Veilguard. And that was the XBox version!
Although I did play the original version of Silent Hill 2. On the PS2, wasn’t it?
You can see why I have decided not to cast my vote.
Happy new year, everybody.
I feel that Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth should win all categories except this one. 😂
I gotta say it is pretty amusing just how much Rebirth is getting shafted in these awards lol
Well it probably wouldn't be quite as funny if I liked the game but still
@Tsushima (#7) You seem like a person after my own taste!
@Max_the_German (#16) oh mate it's worth it alone for the setting and atmosphere! Tell me Abaurycy isn't a top tier video game character!!! Get it, it's available as physical version as well!
I don't think Silent Hill 2 should've been allowed in this. The story is mostly the same as the original. By that logic TLOU2 Remastered should get the platinum again.
TBF except for Banishers I disagree with the entire list... and, I'm at least thankful you didn't put the dog crap Rebirth on that list.
No love for ‘Life is Strange: Double Exposure’? It’s broader themes of trauma and recovery are well told, with a wonderful return to an excellent character in Max. Not as good as the original, but little is story-wise
@Hyena_socks if that game made this list I would leave the site forever
I'd also like to nominate the Thaumaturge. It's excellent, working my way through it currently and thoroughly enjoying it.
Of this list I went with Metaphor: ReFantazio. Story-wise I wouldn't call it this year's best as it has some flaws, but it still has one of the most fascinating and enjoyable narratives I ever seen in a RPG.
Yeah no. The story is definitely Infinite Wealth's weakest element.
Removed - unconstructive feedback
Removed - unconstructive feedback
@Logonogo not a fan of the game then, I take it?
While good, the story hinges on having played most of Kiryu's games for it to hit home. Kasuga's narrative was a big nothing. Push Square has consistently swung and missed with their end of year lists.
Well deserved. Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth was so good from the beginning to finish.
I'd probably go with LaD: Infinite Wealth as well. Generic as it is, I did enjoy Stellar Blade's story, too.
The split in opinion on Rebirth between this site's writers and the userbase is probably the biggest I've ever seen on this site.
Looking forward to experiencing it myself next year when it drops on PC.
Just to support a more underrated game, Still Wakes The Deep had a fantastic storyline. My personal favourite of the year. Blending the likes of the Thing with cosmic horror and Alien Isolation. A must play.
@scoobdoo I have been a final fantasy fan for 28 years....please explain to me how splitting a single game across 3 x £70/$70 games isn't an example of bloat...it's basically the film version of The Hobbit to video games
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