Game of the Year Awards 2024

"With an awesome cast and interesting premise, the Great Circle nails the tone and themes of an Indiana Jones movie. The lore is flooded with religious undertones and ancient cultures, so players might get excited as Indy dives into a legend to uncover hidden meaning or another clue. There are many well-crafted cutscenes and, like the rest of the game, they combine slapstick, irony, careful timing, and one-liners to create something fans have been waiting for since the Last Crusade released in 1989." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Silent Hill 2 (2024), Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II

"The facial animations are good for an RPG, and the game's art style uses lots of bright colors, and smooth character models that have a bit of a cartoon-ish look to them. The style allows is some rather great fantasy environment design. The levels are quite excellently presented, from the deep forests and dark caves, to the sunny beaches and dark caverns of necromancy. These may be fairly typical locales for a medieval fantasy adventure, but they are wonderfully realized." - Alex V

Runners-up: ULTROS, Neva, Minami Lane

"It also looks great, runs well, and has barely any technical issues, which is sadly not common enough in 2024. From the lush jungles of Siam to the sandy tombs beneath the Pyramids, the world is crisp, colorful, and has good lighting. The attention to detail is also high everywhere, like when Indy's face gets flushed in the cold and Gina's is covered in sweat in the tropics." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Astro Bot, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Homeworld 3

"The music is a delight, featuring more of that light, low-tempo melancholy guitar strumming with female vocals that the series is well known for. Songs by Tessa Rose Jackson, Matilda Mann, and Chloe Moriondo are a clear highlight, and many are deployed at the right time. Zen moments allow players to sit and absorb the tunes." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Astro Bot, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Stellar Blade

"The atmosphere in the Zone is astounding and audio plays a big role in crafting the perfect mood. Crickets, flies, creaking trees, groaning transmission towers, and the wind rustling add sound layers. Hellish screams in the distance, occasional gunfire as a group fends off mutated rats, and a wonderfully distant ambient soundtrack all help to enhance immersion. After the dust settles, it starts to rain, pattering the roof of a nearby bus while the sun sets. Just going on a walk is often rewarding because of the sensational haunting ambiance." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Pacific Drive, Still Wakes the Deep, Astro Bot

"Troy Baker brings it all together with one of his best vocal performances. He captures Ford's inflection and pace, but he also accurately depicts yells, sighs, and grunts. It is easy to believe that we are seeing the old Indy, off on a brand new adventure. Indy is joined by an eclectic cast of characters that keeps the narrative interesting. Emmerich Voss is the lead Nazi after the artifacts, while Father Antonio helps players in areas crawling with soldiers. Investigative reporter Gina Lombardi is played superbly by Alessandra Mastronardi." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Life is Strange: Double Exposure, Silent Hill 2 (2024), Dragon Age: The Veilguard