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, and the best of the best are getting their flowers at The Game Awards 2024.

Taking place on December 12, The Game Awards 2024 marks 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
  • Black Myth: Wukong
  • Balatro
  • Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
  • Metaphor: ReFantazio
  • Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
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Astro Bot

After disappointments like Concord and LEGO Horizon Adventures, it feels safe to say that PlayStation has had a rather turbulent 2024. But Astro Bot has been a shining beacon of hope amid the gloom. Released back in September, Astro Bot delivers 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 Bot acts 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 Bot currently sits at an impressive 94 on Metacritic, and it's undoubtedly one of the year's best games.

Black Myth: Wukong

A bit of an outlier on The Game Awards 2024's Game of the Year nominee list, Black Myth: Wukong sits 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: Wukong did 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.

Balatro

Every year, there's at least one Indie game that becomes a breakout sensation. This year, that game is Balatro. Released back in February, Balatro is a roguelike, poker-adjacent card game that quickly sunk its hooks deep into the gaming public. Over the course of the year, Balatro has continued to keep players addicted, not just with its core gameplay loop and its ports to more platforms, but also its recent Friends of Jimbo free crossover DLCs, which have added new cards inspired by Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3, The Binding of Isaac, and more.

Balatro currently sits at a 90 on Metacritic. What makes Balatro's place on the Game of the Year nominee list all the more impressive is that it was developed by just one person. Balatro is very much the underdog of The Game Awards 2024.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

The long-awaited follow-up to 2020's Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth improves upon its predecessor in some major ways. Combat feels better than ever, introducing new Synergy moves and refining parrying and dodge mechanics. Rebirth also 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 of Final 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 Rebirth sits at a 92 on Metacritic.

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Metaphor: ReFantazio

Another critical smash-hit from Atlus, Metaphor: ReFantazio is an RPG that takes many of the acclaimed combat and social mechanics from Persona, and gives them a fantasy twist. Along with its suprisingly thrilling gameplay, Metaphor: ReFantazio has 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: ReFantazio sits at a 94 on Metacritic, and it's widely considered to be one of the best RPGs in recent history.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Probably the most controversial entry on The Game Awards 2024's Game of the Year nominee list, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree has 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 doubt Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree deserves its flowers.

While Shadow of the Erdtree may have been building from already-excellent foundations, developer FromSoftware's efforts with the expansion shouldn't be glossed over. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree brings 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 Erdtree sits at a 94 on Metacritic.

Final Prediction

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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, and Metaphor: ReFantazio all share a Metacritic score of 94, and all have set new standards for their respective genre. But while Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Balatro's Metacritic scores are 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: ReFantazio seems most likely to win The Game Awards 2024's Game of the Year category.

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