Non-RPG General News - Golden Joystick Awards 2024 Winners

[HiddenX]

Gamesradar presents the Golden Joystick Awards 2024 Winners:

Here are all the Golden Joystick Awards 2024 winners

Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth and Helldivers 2 lead the pack as Black Myth: Wukong takes home the top prize

[...]

The full list of all the winners in each category is as follows:

Best Audio Design - Astro Bot
Best Soundtrack - Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth
Best Storytelling - Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth
Best Multiplayer Game - Helldivers 2
Best Visual Design - Black Myth: Wukong
Best Indie Game - Balatro
Best Indie Game (Self-published) - Another Crab's Treasure
Studio of the Year - Team Asobi (Astro Bot)
Best Lead Performer - Cody Christian (Cloud, Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth)
Best Supporting Performer - Briana White (Aerith, Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth)
Breakthrough Award (Critics Choice) - Balatro
Still Playing Award (Console & PC) - Minecraft
Still Playing Award (Mobile) - Honkai: Star Rail
PC Game of the Year - Satisfactory
Console Game of the Year - Helldivers 2
Most Wanted Game - GTA 6
Critics' Choice Award - Helldivers 2
Best Game Expansion - Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Best Gaming Hardware - Steam Deck OLED
Best Early Access Game - Lethal Company
Best Game Trailer - Helldivers 2
Streamers' Choice Award - Chained Together
Best Game Adaptation - Fallout
Ultimate Game of the Year - Black Myth Wukong

Thanks Couchpotato!

More information.

 

[Vaelith]

Since they have best Early Access Game, I think they could add others like "Best Technical Alpha" or "Best looking Kickstarter project".

With that said, feels like a weak year in general. Wukong was a positive surprise (I still have to play it, and I will), but other than that, Dragon's Dogma 2 (which is nowhere in that list) feels like the only game that I might remember and replay in the future.

 

[JDR13]

Best Game Expansion - Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

That was probably the most obvious winner. I can't think of anything that would even compete with it.

On a side note: A lot of awards for FF7: Rebirth but still no announcement for a PC version.

 

[purpleblob]

Satisfactory is basically 3D Factorio. Hubby loved Factorio and he is enjoying hell out of Satisfactory now. I remember there were few Watchers who also appreciated Factorio - you guys should check Satisfactory out.

 

[Zloth]

Since they have best Early Access Game, I think they could add others like "Best Technical Alpha" or "Best looking Kickstarter project".

Star Citizen would always win, for all eternity.

On a side note: A lot of awards for FF7: Rebirth but still no announcement for a PC version.

GIMMEE THE GAME ALREADY!!!

 

[Carnifex]

I recently completed a replay of FF seven and even having done that, I'm quite curious about the above remake.

 

[docmars]

I'm really surprised Space Marine 2 didn't make it anywhere, it was an absolute banger.

 

[docmars]

Dragon's Dogma 2 (which is nowhere in that list) feels like the only game that I might remember and replay in the future.

It's high up for me this year, I absolutely loved it. Shame it didn't get more recognition. Outside of technical issues, I get the impression it was received pretty well overall.

 

[JDR13]

I'm really surprised Space Marine 2 didn't make it anywhere, it was an absolute banger.

Straight action games rarely get accolades no matter how good they are.

 

[purpleblob]

It's high up for me this year, I absolutely loved it. Shame it didn't get more recognition. Outside of technical issues, I get the impression it was received pretty well overall.

Its unfinished game for sure but I loved it for what it is anyway. It's my GOTY for sure. Really hoping for a DLC next year

 

[Moorkh]

A year to forget, it seems?
The only game from this year I remember spending much time in was Tiny Glade. Oh, and Fantasy Map Simulator. Do these even count as games?
Aside from that, I played a lot, but only games from past years.

 

[Stingray]

A year to forget, it seems?
The only game from this year I remember spending much time in was Tiny Glade. Oh, and Fantasy Map Simulator. Do these even count as games?
Aside from that, I played a lot, but only games from past years.

Check out SKALD if you're into old Ultima games (as your avatar would suggest). It came out early this year and was great.

 

[docmars]

I happened upon Mortismal's favorite moments of the year vid this morning, and he spent a lot of time praising Another Crab's Treasure from the list:

Best Indie Game (Self-published) - Another Crab's Treasure

...so I had to check it out! Played for about 4-5 hours today and I have to say, it's one of the best Elden Ring clones I've ever played. Everything about it is absolutely delightful, I highly recommend it. Got me laughing out loud a bit too.

I saw it come out earlier this year, but thought it would be too much of a parody, and while it does lean into its comedic overtones, none of it ruins the game. I wish I'd given it a closer look sooner, because I have to agree its Best Indie Game award is well deserved!

Don't let its juvenile / cartoonish vibes throw you off like it did me before I watched more gameplay.

 

[Philistine]

One game nobody talks about is FFXVI. Did no-one play it?

 

[docmars]

One game nobody talks about is FFXVI. Did no-one play it?

I tried the demo on PS5 and absolutely loved it, but decided to wait for PC release — and now it has, but I'm still going to wait until my backlog is more clear

Did you play it? What did you think?

 

[Couchpotato]

Apparently not many played it on the PC according to Square Enix.

Final Fantasy 16 Bombs on PC in Devastating Loss for Square Enix

Final Fantasy XVI's sales on PC have continued a disappointing trend for the iconic RPG franchise.

www.cbr.com

 

[Vaelith]

27k peak players on Steam, that's a massive flop considering the production values and the IP, at least for PC. As long as they don't do proper releases for PC at the same time as consoles, this is probably going to keep happening; it's possible that they don't care as I imagine the game sold very well on PS5, especially in Asia (I have no evidence for this, just guessing).

The downside is that at some point they might just decide to not convert their games to PC at all because it's not worth it.

 

[Philistine]

I tried the demo on PS5 and absolutely loved it, but decided to wait for PC release — and now it has, but I'm still going to wait until my backlog is more clear

Did you play it? What did you think?

Not yet, but I am looking forward to playing eventually, sometime before 2030. (No joke, I usually wait for games to drop below $20, and then unless I want to play it right away, I wait to see if it shows up in a bundle.)

 

[docmars]

I usually wait for games to drop below $20

Heh same a lot of times. There's no point in buying a new game for full price if you're got like 10+ games waiting to be played, with the exception of most-anticipated titles. I'll admit I buy most of my Steam games from gray markets too, and sometimes get steeper discounts there than on official sales.

 

[Philistine]

Looking to see why sales were low, read this:

It's also possible Square Enix’s efforts to make Final Fantasy more appealing through open-world gameplay, action combat, and Western RPG elements could be backfiring. Players have frequently expressed exhaustion for the oversaturation of open-world games and similar Western RPG elements in series that never previously had them such as God of War and The Legend of Zelda. These sales could be players pining for the franchise to return to its roots.

That sucks if true. By adding elements I like, they turned off many others?