We’re back here already! Game Of The Year (GOTY) 2024.
A year that’s seen some big releases, big flops (Kill the Justice League? Concord?) and a lot of down turn in the games industry itself.
In an increasingly unstable, volatile industry it’s hard to stay positive about something we love so much. Seeing people lose their livelihoods en masse is not pleasant, but out of the mess, there’s been a lot of success, too.
GOTY 2024 for ninjarefinery.com is the same deal as ever. Any game, released this year, or not, is a contender. So long as we’ve played it and loved it this year. It’s eligible. If a DLC feels significant enough in terms of impact it’s had on us or the site, it counts. A year of gaming can’t be confined to just games released that year, right?!
So, who/what are the contenders for GOTY 2024?
Sea of Thieves
Holy cow. Sea of Thieves has really had a renaissance here at Ninja Refinery. 2024 saw commitment to hitting Pirate Legend after playing the game since day 1!
Beyond that, it was a great unifier for most of the VasDown boys, and it’s been one of the only games we consistently played together this year.
Sea of thieves is in such a great place and it’s been a genuine joy to set sail regularly, explore, trade, fight and live the pirate life.
Over 70 hours on Sea of Thieves in 2024 makes it a serious contender for GOTY.
Balatro
Roguelite Poker? Pixel art poker?
Sure doesn’t sound like a 2024 banger on paper does it? But it’s basic premise, combined with complex run-based gameplay has made it an absolute gem.
Hours squandered trying to get that one last run because this time I’ll get the right jokers or focus more on my two pairs. Balatro is the ultimate addictive time-sink and at one point, I thought it was a shoe-in for GOTY. Perhaps it still is?
I’d argue it’s the game I’ve gone back to the most since it came out, and it’s as accessible on the Steam Deck as it is the PC.
Elden Ring/Shadow of the Erdtree
Our most anticipated game of 2024. A massive expansion, the size and depth of a whole new game.
Shadow of the Erdtree is incredible. Enhancing Elden Ring (a previous GOTY here!) in so many ways. The time we put into it pre-release and then at release was significant, to say the least.
Farming runes, looking for specific gear and working on builds to get ready for Shadow of the Erdtree. Then being in a From software game at launch and experiencing it all with everyone else, is an unparalleled gaming experience.
Phenomenal, top to bottom. Incredibly strong contender for GOTY 2024.
Dead Cells
The single best Roguelite game that there is. Dead Cells.
Fast and fluid movement and combat. Tied with a whole host of weapons, abilities and perks. Nothing competes with it. Hades is great but it isn’t a patch on Dead Cells.
If the default state in between games hasn’t been to go to Balatro, it’s been Dead Cells. Simple as that.
A lull between big games regularly means falling back to something that is pure and simple, scratch the right party of my brain, fun.
Countless hours invested over the course of 2024. Dead Cells has had a significant impact regardless of time or place. GOTY contender, for sure.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns
I always knew I’d enjoy Midnight Suns. Marvel, turn-based tactical game. I just never realised I’d love it like I do.
Combat is clever, interesting, fast and fun. The story is solid and actually once you find the groove of the gameplay in between missions, it’s a nice change of pace.
Yes, there’s the weird friendship stuff to do, but it’s actually fine. Earnest conversations and a side of heros you don’t generally see.
But the combat. Card-based, turn-based action. It has no right being as satisfying as it is. It’s the best combat in a turn-based tactical game. Hands down. You have power, flexibility and you can fuck it all up in one turn.
Midnight Suns does so much right and delivers a decent campaign story along the way. It deserves so much more attention.
Incredibly strong GOTY 2024 contender, indeed.
Top 5
Consider the games above the top 5. We’ve played and reviewed loads. But nothing has hit like these five.
The number one GOTY is still a mystery, because it’s so damn close between them all.
It’s worth a quick nod to those that almost made it. Some of these were swapped in and out of the top 5 whilst making the list. They would all be considered for a top 10 for sure.
The GOTY 2024 also-rans, are:
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Diablo IV
- Call of Duty Black Ops 6
- Battlefield 2024
- Ring Fit Adventure
- Helldivers II
- Yakuza Like a Dragon
- Two Point Hospital
2024 has been a solid year, for sure! It’s been a bad year for clan play, finding a game that isn’t destiny that will give us all a bit of what we want, it’s impossible. Anything that can deliver that would likely be a shoe-in for GOTY, but it’s not to be.
We’ll announce the winner before the end of the year, and struggle to work out out between now and then!