Game of the Year Awards 2024

"Sumerian Six almost perfectly emulates the games from Mimimi, offering a satisfying covert strategy experience that involves weaving through patrols, dissolving bodies, and scaring Nazis to death. Whittling down guard patrols is satisfying, helped even more with the cool supernatural powers and freedom to use different squad members. Levels look good from the isometric perspective and the story presentation is simple but effective. It is a pity that developer Mimimi are no more, but Sumerian Six definitely keeps their spirit alive." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Echo Point Nova, UFO 50

"Astro Bot feels a bit like a culmination of effort from the previous two games. The original was VR-only, and the follow-up was more like a teaser of what this character and this gameplay design is capable of. With the new self-titled game, it's clear that a new little hero has emerged in the PlayStation universe. That whimsical cuteness of watching a bot dressed up as Solid Snake losing his cardboard box remains at the core of the visual style of Astro Bot. With satisfying and yet accessible gameplay, excellent level design and polished high quality visuals, this is probably the best exclusive 3D platformer on PS5 to date." - Alex V

Runners-up: Helldivers 2, Stellar Blade, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

"Fans of the original film trilogy should not hesitate to play Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The story is interesting and full of tremendous characters, none better than the leading hero. Jumping across the world brings nice variety and the visual touches are excellent. There is good diversity to the gameplay, with stealth, fisticuffs, and shooting coming together well. And the open-world levels allow players to dictate how it all transpires." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II

"You can always trust Nintendo to zig when you think its going to zag. Rather than wrap up the franchise's run on the console with Tears of the Kingdom, they instead had a whole other game to deliver. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom may not star Link, but it is on par with many of those classics. The echoes system is another demonstration of the franchise's ability to craft engaging gimmicks. While it may be underserved by the system's dated tech, Nintendo has once again delivered a creative entry in one of their flagship series." - Eric Hall

Runners-up: Princess Peach: Showtime, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2024)

"The sixth Black Ops game is one of the best in the series. Its competitive multiplayer is fresh and frantic, offering some great fun thanks to movement changes. Fans of the cooperative Zombies get two big levels that set different tones and have oodles of tasks to keep players busy. And the long campaign offers some of the most varied and creative missions to date." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Helldivers 2, Astro Bot

"Sniping games have their own corner of the market well established, and puzzle games where players bounce between specific points is also a path often travelled, but combining these two aspects is a novel idea. And it's an idea that the game executes quite well. The levels are fun to engage with and the movement of targets and debris adds a dynamic aspect. With good variety and some surrealist elements, it makes for a memorable and dark tale of revenge." - Alex V

Runners-up: Pacific Drive, The Plucky Squire, Balatro

"Fans of the original Silent Hill 2 should have a glorious time with the remake, and newcomers will find a highly competent third-person survival horror game with tremendous narrative intrigue. The remake preserves the original's story practically verbatim, and it is probably the game's biggest strength. New and decent adventure tasks help to make the game substantially longer, and combat alterations bring it closer to that popular series from Capcom." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Age of Mythology: Retold

"Companions typically get three significant personal quests plus a few non-combat conversation quests. Many take you to unique areas, such as a gloomy manor or the deep roads. Combat is fun and frantic. The environments are fantastic, from the putrid flooded wastelands in the Anderfels to the tranquil forests in Arlathan. Things only get more impressive as the game continues and the variety helps to keep it interesting over the game’s decent 50-60 hour runtime." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Astro Bot, Silent Hill 2 (2024), Pacific Drive

"The frantic 6v6 competitive action offers a fresh start for the series. All operators, weapons and most maps are brand new. Weapon attachments often have no negatives, so there is no reason not to fully kit-out every weapon via the extensive gunsmith system. Multiplayer action is fresh, energetic, and fun, with subtle tweaks, and the cooperative undead mode is a great way to lose track of time." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Helldivers 2, XDefiant, WH40k: Space Marine 2