The nominees for the Game of the Year 2024 at The Game Awards were announced earlier this month by the always-positive host, Geoff Keighley. While all gamers have an opinion on those six coveted spots and feel personally aggrieved if their favourite game isn’t on the list, there is particular controversy with two of the nominations this year. The first is a card game, the second is a DLC. Due to their additions, games such as Silent Hill 2, Helldivers 2, Space Marine 2, Stellar Blade, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom have missed out. So, which games were nominated, and, more importantly, which game will win? Let’s dive in.
Nominees
- Astro Bot
- Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth
- Balatro
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
- Metaphor: ReFantazio
Astro Bot
No surprises here. Astro Bot’s 94 Metacritic rating and strong reception across all age groups made the platforming robot a certainty to feature on this list, especially as most GOTY batches have at least one game available for younger audiences. Geoff himself tweeted praise. While the gameplay loop is simple despite a range of unique power-ups, the use of the Dual Sense and throwback to hundreds of PlayStation mascots created a nostalgic buzz that was also a joy to play. The challenge levels provided something for more “hardcore” gamers, with the time trails adding a competitive function. PlayStation needed a platformer to stifle the smell of a live-service future, and Astro Bot achieved the goal of widespread celebration before the iffy Pro announcement. The game can be platinumed in less than fifteen hours and has limited replayability beyond this, but the quality of each colourful minute sees the game with a podium chance at the awards.
Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth
The clear frontrunner from this field before the DLC curveball. A behemoth of a game, with a range of open world areas and a detailed story despite being only a third of the original narrative. The journey of Cloud and friends to stop the evil Sephiroth is pure gaming. The combat system has evolved to such depth that few would approach a battle the same way or with the same lineup (minus Cait Sith). While the graphical issues were a minor negative, the soundtrack and gameplay loop ensured this was an A+ title worthy of favouritism. This is my current pick for GOTY as it does have the longevity and replayability Astro Bot lacks.
Balatro
The wildcard. Few would have anticipated a deck-building poker game to trump a title such as Silent Hill 2. Functioning as a poker-themed roguelike, Balatro is a destroyer of time and can be played anywhere (for either five minutes or five hours). This type of accessibility and addictiveness, coupled with a dedicated fanbase, has seen an indie title skyrocket into the GOTY conversation over more fancied titles. While it may not be everyone’s cup of cocoa, and the chances of Balatro winning the award are slim to none, this is a fine achievement by the developer to inspire other creators. Not all games need to be AAA open worlds. Sometimes, shuffling a deck is the perfect getaway.
Black Myth: Wukong
This spot must have been a flip between Wukong and Infinite Wealth. The former seemed to make the biggest splash and could have covered the ‘Souls-like’ genre well enough without the DLC inclusion. With a linear style, crisp gameplay and Chinese folklore, many gamers tackled the challenge appreciating the creativity and abilities. The character design is a standout and the use of boss moves against other bosses is a neat trick. Already winning Game of the Year at the Joystick Awards means there is momentum for monkey.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Every year, an RPG comes out of the clouds to stake its claim for GOTY honours. In a packed 2023, Baldurs Gate 3 managed to defeat allcomers and take the crown. Could Metaphor, the spiritual successor to the Persona series, do the same? Potentially. With Astro Bot and Rebirth, this political adventure was the likely third spot on the list. But with the game below, all has been thrown into disarray. The focus in this RPG is political and is released at a time when politics is central. But don’t let that deter you, because within this 100-hour adventure is heart and hope. The game uses an anime style, turn-based fighting and lifetime schedules to really impact the player. Hurrah!
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Herein lies the controversy. Elden Ring won Game of the Year in 2022, rightly so. The base game is a masterpiece and the DLC is of equal quality. But there are two reasons why a DLC should not be nominated for game of the year in this instance:
- Players must reach a certain point and defeat a difficult boss to even access the DLC
- The game has already been successful and therefore this addition is baseless without another title
Review scores show Shadow of the Erdtree matches or surpasses all on this list. Quality is not the issue in a game that uses its base mechanics and improves them. Many even prefer the DLC, which is a tighter experience. But how does this game function without any aspect of Elden Ring? Shadow of the Erdtree is one of the best DLCs of all time. It may be the best. Why not create a category for DLC at these awards? Phantom Liberty was one of the best gaming experiences of 2023 (not nominated, branching off Cyberpunk 2077). It was also longer than nominee Super Mario Wonder. Will a DLC receive the crown? This is a brilliant game – more of the same, finetuned to perfection. Fromsoft are truly at their peak.
Novastream’s Game of the Year
While all the above are brilliant games of the highest quality, Novastream writers have played a wide range of titles this year and have come together for the consensus top six titles.
The winner will surprise all readers.
We start with number 6:
6. The Plucky Squire
5. Silent Hill 2
4. Pacific Drive
3. Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth
2. Astro Bot
1. Palworld
(This rating was based on all writers submitting their top 6 games of 2024, with the best game getting 6 points all the way to the sixth game getting 1 point)
Of the Game of the Year nominees, Novastream has two of the same: Rebirth and Astro Bot, both with podium finishes. The others, outside of Silent Hill 2, maybe a surprise. But there would be no bigger surprise than Palworld, which was recently sued by Nintendo (rebellion, we like that). Palworld has a minimal narrative, uses functions from various other successful games, and relies on a Fortnite aesthetic. But wow, is it fun. This is how Pokémon should have evolved as a series by now. Instead, we get a more mature version with guns, survival, base building and exploration. The game is still in its testing phase. Safe to say, we can’t wait for the updates and full release.
