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We’ve officially entered the winter months, and with that, we’ve begun to rapidly approach the biggest award in gaming:The Game Awards’s coveted Game Of The Year award. With The Game Awards having announced the six nominees competing for the prize, we’ve assembled six knowledgeable writers to represent each of these nominees.
Over the course of the next week, these seasoned veterans will present a spirited argument for why they think their chosen game should take home the gold. Naturally, we’ll be collecting those pieces and presenting them here. Check back daily to read our heartfelt defense of each game.
Balatro
Balatro is 2024’s indie darling. Having been made by a single developer, it is most certainly the spunky underdog of the bunch. But can this digital David compete against five Goliaths? Our Editor-In-Chief, Stacey Henley, believes it has what it takes to pull off the upset. Read her reasoning and see why she thinks this jester should be crowned a king.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
No GOTY competition is complete without a JRPG representative. This year Metaphor: ReFantazio got the nod. Given that 2024 was the year of RPGs, that is quite the honor, but it is well-earned. Join TheGamer’s Executive Editor Meg Pelliccio as she explains why Metaphor isthepremier RPG to release this year and why it does more than enough to sit on the throne.
Astro Bot
We don’t get many big non-Nintendo platformers these days, but Astro Bot has been making someseriousinroads in the space. It is absolutely the most charming game of 2024, and it features a staggering amount of gameplay variety, but will that be enough to raise it above the other nominees? Eric Switzer, a celebrated senior reporter for TheGamer, most certainly thinks so. Hear him out and find out why Astro Bot is the Astro GOTY.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Picking up where Final Fantasy 7 Remake left off, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth iterates on Remake’s excellent Action-RPG combat system, while incorporating robust open-world elements. But does it do enough to earn the GOTY award that escaped Final Fantasy 7 Remake? Executive Editor George Foster believes it does. Read his piece to find out why Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the true final boss of this year’s Game Awards.
Black Myth: Wukong
Black Myth: Wukong is one of the most hyped games to release in 2024. Some would say that its placement on this list was inevitable given how well-received it was. One of TheGamer’s most seasoned editors, Vaspaan Dastoor, breaks down the numbers and shows why Black Myth: Wukong isclearlythe game that the people have chosen. Read his piece to find out why Black Myth: Wukong will rule over the TGA proceedings.
Elden Ring Shadow Of The Erdtree
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is a real outlier when it comes to GOTY nominations as it is DLC. But when a piece of DLC content is the size of a game, and could absolutely have been its own game, is it now more of a semantical argument? TheGamer’s executive editor, Jade King, believes so. Read her piece and see why Shadow of the Erdtree’s greatness deserves to be celebrated, and little things like how the content was delivered shouldn’t get in the way of that.
