The Game of the Year discussion is already fully underway. With half of 2024 already etched in the history books, let’s have a look back at some of the stunning titles we’ve experienced so far.
Becoming Game of the Year carries a lot of weight. It generally means a game is popular with critics and fans, sold a lot of copies, and fostered lots of excitement in the community. The 2024 Game of the Year nominees certainly meet those criteria, so let’s get started.
All 2024 GOTY contenders so far
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
It’s taking Square Enix a long time to complete this trilogy. First announced in 2015, it’s taken nine years to get the first two instalments of a three-part trilogy. Final Fantasy 7 Remake delivered Square’s fleshed-out vision in 2020, but Rebirth is a whole different, beautiful beast entirely.
I’ve lost 100 hours of my life to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and I loved every second of it. Each biome is as unique as the last, and characters I’ve been attached to for over 20 years are realized in endearing ways. I honestly believe this is Square Enix’s finest piece of work. The only downside is having to wait another three or four years for the reimagined story to conclude.
Tekken 8
The last 12 to 18 months has been big for the fighting genre. Alongside newcomers in the platform-battling scene, like MultiVersus, traditional brawlers saw new entries in Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1. Both staked their claims as the best fighter of 2023, but Tekken 8 punches above its already stellar weight to be the king of fighters in 2024.
Featuring seasoned veterans, a cinematic and engaging story, and more modes than Hwoarang has kicks, Tekken 8 is one of the best iterations in the franchise’s history. It looks better than ever and you can feel the screen pulse with every strike. Director Katsuhiro Harada deserves a ton of credit for embracing fan feedback and adding crossplay, among other requested features.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
As the newest entry in the Yakuza spin-off series, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth was under pressure to come up with new ideas while remaining as fresh as ever. Any doubts are quickly vanquished, though, thanks to a cocktail of the series’ trademark characters, an effervescent story, bubbly mini-games, and a deep combat system.
Infinite Wealth makes the bold decision to disembark the familiar grounds of Japan and whisk us off to the scorching tropics of Hawaii. This only adds to the adventure’s new flavor, and if you have a spare 100+ hours, following the exploits of Kazuma Kiryu is well worth your time.
Animal Well
Animal Well is the true definition of a great indie project. A low-budget, relatively unadvertised title with a fresh look that does something no one else is doing. Yes, it’s a Metroidvania akin to the old-school Metroid and Castlevania days (that everyone can’t help but imitate). But Animal Well unshackles its captive creatures to offer something riveting and raw.
Forget quest markers or logical linear paths: Animal Well’s brilliance lies in its bravery to give YOU (the player) freedom. With its bizarre art style, eerie music and sound effects, and intuitive gameplay, you quickly feel like you know what to do and where to go. Having said that, you’re sure to get lost, and have fun in the process. It’s even more impressive considering Animal Well was developed by a single person—Billy Basso.
Balatro
Yes, another indie game. Balatro may look like a basic card game on the surface, but underneath lies a complex gameplay loop tied together by clever roguelike mechanics that make every playthrough to be different. You start with a basic deck, then acquire new cards and try to build a powerful deck—very reminiscent of Inscryption.
The poker theme works very well; the stakes continually rise with every new run, while you get bigger and better cards that drop staggeringly high scores. A low-key indie endeavor, Balatro has sold over one million copies and counting, and it’s a sleeper hit waking up the Game of the Year conversation in 2024.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
I’ve spent years craving Ubisoft’s constantly delayed Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake, and I barely batted an eyelid when The Lost Crown was announced. Boy, my judgement couldn’t have been more wrong. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown also embraces and harnesses the power of the Metroidvania, and while I don’t think it innovates as much as Animal Well does, it’s wonderfully polished with a sheen of AAA excellence only Ubisoft provides.
The cel-shaded visuals are excellent and compliment the game’s intense action. The fluidity of its movement and intertwining nature of its puzzles and platforming elements are evident of a project that understands its genre—and its fanbase. The Lost Crown wasn’t the PoP release anyone asked for, but I’m sure glad we got it.
