2023 was an unbelievably good year for video game releases, and it’s earned its rightful spot alongside 2007, 2001, 1998, and the rest of the industry’s most fondly remembered years. While it certainly hasn’t been quite as busy, 2024 has still offered some excellent video game experiences, andthe best of the bestare getting their flowers atThe Game Awards 2024.
Taking place on December 12,The Game Awards 2024marks the show’s 10th anniversary. As such, viewers can expect to see plenty of memorable moments and announcements during this year’s ceremony. But like every year, The Game Awards 2024 will end with the category everyone’s been waiting for, the illustrious Game of the Year trophy, and this year there are six incredibly strong contenders all vying for the coveted top spot.
2024 Game of the Year Nominees
Astro Bot
Afterdisappointments likeConcordandLEGO Horizon Adventures, it feels safe to say that PlayStation has had a rather turbulent 2024. ButAstro Bothas been a shining beacon of hope amid the gloom. Released back in September,Astro Botdelivers a genuinely fun, joyous mascot platformer, and those are hard to come by. Along with its tight platforming mechanics, colorful art style, and exuberant soundtrack,Astro Botacts as the perfect love letter to PlayStation, with it being packed full of references and Easter eggs to the company’s long history in the gaming space.
Astro Botcurrently sits at an impressive 94 on Metacritic, and it’s undoubtedly one of the year’s best games.
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Black Myth: Wukong
A bit of an outlier on The Game Awards 2024’s Game of the Year nominee list,Black Myth: Wukongsits at an 81 on Metacritic. While that score is still commendable, it’s a far cry from every other title on this list, and lower than even a handful of games that haven’t been nominated in this category. That being said,Black Myth: Wukongdid resonate with a lot of players upon its August release, with many loving the game’s presentation, its gripping narrative, its fast-paced combat, and its stunning boss fights.
WHERE TO PLAY
Black Myth: Wukong is an action RPG rooted in Chinese mythology and based on Journey to the West, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.You shall set out as the Destined One to venture into the challenges and marvels ahead, to uncover the obscured truth beneath the veil of a glorious legend from the past.As the Destined One, you shall encounter powerful foes and worthy rivals throughout your journey. Fearlessly engage them in epic battles where surrender is not an option.Aside from mastering various staff techniques, you can also freely combine different spells, abilities, weapons, and equipment to find the winning strategy that best suits your combat style.
Balatro
Every year, there’s at least one Indie game that becomes a breakout sensation. This year, that game isBalatro. Released back in February,Balatrois a roguelike, poker-adjacent card game that quickly sunk its hooks deep into the gaming public. Over the course of the year,Balatrohas continued to keep players addicted, not just with its core gameplay loop and its ports to more platforms, but also its recentFriends of Jimbo free crossover DLCs, which have added new cards inspired byCyberpunk 2077,The Witcher 3,The Binding of Isaac, and more.
Balatrocurrently sits at a 90 on Metacritic. What makesBalatro’s place on the Game of the Year nominee list all the more impressive is that it was developed by just one person.Balatrois very much the underdog of The Game Awards 2024.
Balatro is a poker-inspired roguelike deck builder all about creating powerful synergies and winning big.The poker roguelike. Balatro is a hypnotically satisfying deckbuilder where you play illegal poker hands, discover game-changing jokers, and trigger adrenaline-pumping, outrageous combos.Combine valid poker hands with unique Joker cards to create varied synergies and builds. Earn enough chips to beat devious blinds, all while uncovering hidden bonus hands and decks as you progress. You’re going to need every edge you can get in order to reach the boss blind, beat the final ante and secure victory
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
The long-awaited follow-up to2020’sFinal Fantasy 7 Remake,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthimproves upon its predecessor in some major ways. Combat feels better than ever, introducing new Synergy moves and refining parrying and dodge mechanics.Rebirthalso introduces an expansive open-world, featuring plenty of worthwhile side content that compliments the game’s main story well.
That being said, some fans do have some grievances with some ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s story choices, though hopefully they’ll feel justified once the trilogy’s third part eventually launches. Aside from those choices,Rebirth’s main story is still fairly compelling, with its core cast of characters being the real highlight of the experience.Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthsits at a 92 on Metacritic.
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Another critical smash-hit from Atlus,Metaphor: ReFantaziois an RPG that takes many of the acclaimed combat and social mechanics fromPersona, and gives them a fantasy twist. Along with its suprisingly thrilling gameplay,Metaphor: ReFantaziohas garnered critical acclaim for its impactful story, which tackles weighty themes of racism, classism, and discrimination with a great deal of nuance and care.Metaphor: ReFantaziosits at a 94 on Metacritic, and it’s widely considered to be one ofthe best RPGs in recent history.
From the creative minds behind Persona 3, 4, and 5 comes Metaphor: ReFantazio, a unique fantasy world, where your protagonist will journey alongside his fairy companion, Gallica, to lift the curse from the kingdom’s lost prince.Control your destiny, face your fears, and awaken magical Archetype powers that lie dormant in your heart. By awakening to an Archetype, you will unlock the power to channel and combine the abilities of unique job classes. Strengthen your bonds and build your party to take down powerful foes and discover the kingdom’s true nature.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Probably the most controversial entry onThe Game Awards 2024’s Game of the Year nominee list,Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreehas earned a spot here despite being a DLC, which has never happened in the show’s 10-year history. But regardless of where fans fall on the DLC inclusion debate, there’s no doubtElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreedeserves its flowers.
WhileShadow of the Erdtreemay have been building from already-excellent foundations,developer FromSoftware’s effortswith the expansion shouldn’t be glossed over.Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreebrings a wealth of great bosses to the table, a sprawling open-world map filled with rewarding secrets, a vast arsenal of new weapons and armors, and a riveting questline that gives lore buffs a ton of answers they’ve been patiently waiting for.Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreesits at a 94 on Metacritic.
Shadow of the Erdtree is the first and only DLC expansion for FromSoftware’s groundbreaking Elden Ring. It takes players to a whole new region, the Land of Shadow, where a new story awaits the Tarnished.
Final Prediction
The last few Game of the Year categories have either had one clear winner or it’s come down to a 1v1. 2024’s Game of the Year category, however, has five games that have a genuine chance of walking away with the prestiguous trophy.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree,Astro Bot, andMetaphor: ReFantazioall share a Metacritic score of 94, and all have set new standards for their respective genre. But whileFinal Fantasy 7 RebirthandBalatro’s Metacritic scoresare slightly lower, they both still have a solid chance of winning this year, with the former being the frontrunner for Game of the Year for the first half of the year and the latter being the year’s most influential Indie game.
But at the end of the day, there can be just one winner. For its expertly handled social messaging, its compelling cast of characters and narrative, its thrilling hybrid combat, and its distinct art direction,Metaphor: ReFantazioseems most likely to win The Game Awards 2024’s Game of the Year category.
