2024 is coming to a close, and the Shacknews Staff has assembled an amazing list of games, people, studios, and other awesome things that shaped the year. Leading up to the Shacknews Game of the Year 2024 announcement on December 31, the staff got together to celebrate some other games worthy of praise for a number of reasons. Each award includes a deliberation video, if you want to get a look at the heated debates and intense staff votes. Games released between January 1, 2024 and December 9, 2024 are eligible for Shacknews Awards 2024 consideration, with games released after December 9, 2024 eligible for awards in 2025. Please take a look.
Shacknews Top 24 Games of the Year 2024
Check out the Shacknews Top 24 Games of the Year 2024 article to read the whole list.
Shacknews Game of the Year 2024 - Balatro
Check out the Shacknews Game of the Year 2024 - Balatro article to read more.
Balatro is available now on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Apple, and Android platforms.
Person of the Year 2024 - LocalThunk
Check out the Shacknews Person of the Year 2024 - LocalThunk article to read more.
Follow LocalThunk on Twitter.
Do it for Shacknews Award 2024 - Stevetendo
Check out the Do it for Shacknews Award 2024 - Stevetendo article to read more.
Follow Stevetendo on social media platforms including YouTube and Twitter.
Best Developer of 2024 - GSC Game World
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Follow GSC Game World on social media platforms including Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
Best Publisher of 2024 - SEGA
Check out the Shacknews Best Publisher of 2024 - Sega article to read more.
Follow Sega on social media platforms including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Modojo @ Shacknews Mobile Game of the Year 2024 - Balatro
Check out the Modojo @ Shacknews Mobile Game of the Year 2024 - Balatro article to read more.
Balatro is available now on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Apple, and Android platforms.
Best PS5 Game of 2024 - Astro Bot
Check out the Shacknews Best PS5 Game of 2024 - Astro Bot article to read more.
Astro Bot is available on the PlayStation 5 platform.
Best PC Game of 2024 - S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Check out the Shacknews Best PC Game of 2024 - S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl article to read more.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is available on Steam, Epic Games Store, and Xbox platforms.
Best Expansion of 2024 - Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
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Elden Ring is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam platforms. The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is available as a seperate purchase for the game.
Best Fighting Game of 2024 - TEKKEN 8
Check out the Shacknews Best Fighting Game of 2024 - Tekken 8 article to read more.
Tekken 8 is available on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
Best Graphics of 2024 - S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Check out the Shacknews Best Graphics of 2024 - S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl article to read more.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is available on Steam, Epic Games Store, and Xbox platforms.
Best Narrative Game of 2024 - Metaphor: ReFantazio
Check out the Shacknews Best Narrative of 2024 - Metaphor: ReFantazio article to read more.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is available on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.
Best Nintendo Switch Game of 2024 - The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Check out the Shacknews Best Nintendo Switch Game of 2024 - The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom article to read more.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is available on the Nintendo Switch platform.
Best Xbox Game of 2024 - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Check out the Shacknews Best Xbox Game of 2024 - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle article to read more.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is available on Xbox and Steam platforms. The game will be launching on PS5 next year.
Shacknews Top 24 Indie Games of the Year 2024
Check out the Shacknews Top 24 Indie Games of the Year 2024 article to read more.
Indie Game of the Year 2024 - Balatro
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Balatro is available now on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Apple, and Android platforms.
Best RPG of 2024 - Metaphor: ReFantazio
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Metaphor: ReFantazio is available on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.
Best Open World Game of 2024 - Dragon's Dogma 2
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Dragon's Dogma 2 is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam platforms.
Best Racing Game of 2024 - F1 24
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F1 24 is available on Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam platforms.
Most Overlooked Game of 2024 - Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Check out the Shacknews Most Overlooked Game of 2024 - Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown article to read more.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is available on Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.
Best Co-Op Game of 2024 - Helldivers 2
Check out the Shacknews Best Co-Op Game of 2024 - Helldivers 2 article to read more.
Helldivers 2 is available on PlayStation and Steam platforms.
Most Improved Game of 2024 - F-Zero 99
Check out the Shacknews Most Improved Game of 2024 - F-Zero 99 article to read more.
F-Zero 99 is available on Switch as part of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service.
Best Strategy Game of 2024 - Unicorn Overlord
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Unicorn Overlord is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
Best Remake of 2024 - Silent Hill 2
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Slient Hill 2 is available on Steam and PlayStation platforms.
Best Art Style of 2024 - Metaphor: ReFantazio
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Metaphor: ReFantazio is available on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.
Best FPS Game of 2024 - The Finals
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The Finals is available on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
Best Mod of 2024 - Halo 2 E3 2003 Demo
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The Halo 2 E3 2003 Demo Mod can be played in Halo: The Master Chief Collection which is available on Xbox and Steam platforms.
Best Gaming Accessory of 2024 - SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds
Check out the Shacknews Best Gaming Accessory of 2024 - SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds article to read more.
SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds cost $159.99 and are available in PlayStation/PC and Xbox/PC variants on the official SteelSeries website or at partnered retailers.
Best Horror Game of 2024 - Silent Hill 2
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Slient Hill 2 is available on Steam and PlayStation platforms.
Best Sports Game of 2024 - EA Sports College Football 25
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EA Sports College Footbal 25 is available on PlayStation and Xbox platforms.
Best Early Access Game of 2024 - Path of Exile 2
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Path of Exile 2 is available on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox.
Best Cozy Game of 2024 - Little Kitty, Big City
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Little Kitty, Big City is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and Steam platforms.
Best Comeback of 2024 - EA Sports College Football 25
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EA Sports College Footbal 25 is available on PlayStation and Xbox platforms.
Best Strand Game of 2024 - The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Check out the Shacknews Best Strand Game of 2024 - The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom article to read more.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is available on the Nintendo Switch platform.
Outstanding Achievement in Accessibility 2024 - Tekken 8
Check out the Shacknews Outstanding Achievement in Accessibility 2024 - Tekken 8 article to read more.
Tekken 8 is available on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
Best Multiplayer Game of 2024 - Marvel Rivals
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Marvel Rivals is available to play for free on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.
Best VR Game of 2024 - Batman: Arkham Shadow
Check out the Shacknews Best VR Game of 2024 - Batman: Arkham Shadow article to read more.
Batman: Arkham Shadow is available on the Meta Quest platform and requires a Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S VR HMD to play it.
Best Trendsetter of 2024 - Things Running Doom
Check out the Shacknews Best Trendsetter of 2024 - Things Running Doom article to read more.
There are many things running Doom available all over the world, but it is also available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam platforms.
Best Hardware of 2024 - Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo!
Check out the Shacknews Best Hardware of 2024 - Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo article to read more.
Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo! is publicly available to pre-order for January 2025 delivery, but US and Canadian Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can buy it today directly from the My Nintendo Store.
Esports Hero of 2024 - Victor 'Punk' Woodley (Street Fighter 6)
Check out the Shacknews Esports Hero of 2024 - Victor 'Punk' Woodley article to read more.
Street Fighter 6 is available on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
Shackbattle Game of the Year 2024 - Wreckfest
Check out the Shackbattle Game of the Year 2024 - Wreckfest article to read more.
Wreckfest is available on Steam, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox platforms.
Biggest Surprise of 2024 - Nintendo Music
Nintendo creating a dedicated place for fans to properly listen to their music on demand is something that people have been asking for since the advent of music streaming. After years of those requests seemingly falling on deaf ears, we were blown away when Nintendo surprise announced and released the Nintendo Music app on a random Wednesday afternoon in October. What's more, the app is actually good. There are premade playlists for specific games, characters, and vibes, and it's easy to curate a playlist of your own favorite songs. Kudos to Nintendo for having a steady flow of new soundtrack additions since the app's release. They definitely caught us by surprise this year.
Nintendo Music is available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store, but does require an active Nintendo Switch Online account subscription to use the app.
Best Voice Actor of 2024 - Melina Juergens as Senua (Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2)
This is the second time Melina Juergens has brought the character of Senua to life. And now, it is the second time she has won the Shacknews Best Voice Actor award.
Juergens’ performance as Senua in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is nothing short of incredible. The way she is able to embody the struggle of Senua and portray the inner workings of her mind in a respectable way is phenomenal.
Every single line that Juergens’ delivers is dripping with emotion and subtext as she wrestles with the desire for vengeance while the voices in her head battle for her attention. The way Juergens pleads and commands, the way she delivers guttural roars and shouts, and even the quiet moments of introspection where it’s only her face that delivers the emotion – they are all flawlessly executed.
A game like Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 succeeds or fails on the back of someone like Melina Juergens. It is safe to say that Jeurgens has presented a knockout performance that elevates the entire experience and shows players a part of humanity that few will ever glimpse.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is available on Xbox and Steam platforms.
Best Old School Throwback of 2024 - Castlevania Dominus Collection
The Nintendo DS era was an incredible time for a lot of games, but especially for Castlevania games. In fact, it may have been the last time Konami was arguably cooking with them. That said, they'd been restrained to the old handheld's ecosystem, unable to be played on any other platform... Until this year that is. The Castlevania Dominus Collection features three top-tier titles from Nintendo's portable golden age, including Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, and Order of Ecclesia. Each of these games was fantastic back in the day and Konami figured out how to reasonably bring them from their dual screen formats to single screen platforms. If that wasn't enough, they also included Haunted Castle, which is a remade version of the original Castlevania arcade game. This collection packs in interesting gaming history and a lot of quality-of-life improvements , but it also feels like a blueprint we hope other Nintendo DS devs of yesteryear take notice of. We'd love to see more DS ports bring other great games from that era to other platforms.
Castlevania Dominus Collection is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam platforms.
Quietest Lobby of 2024 - XDefiant
Well, this is awkward. Some rare inside baseball for readers, the Shacknews staff has been gradually debating these year-end categories over the course of weeks. One of the first categories we discussed was Quietest Lobby and we gave the award to XDefiant. It was out of a hope that more people would discover it as a serviceable, free-to-play alternative to the more expensive big-budget blockbusters like Call of Duty. Maybe someone doesn't want to download hundreds of GBs to their Xbox or they don't have the money to spare to buy a copy. Well, XDefiant could fit their needs.
We certainly did not antipate that Ubisoft would announce that it is shuttering XDefiant mere days after we discussed this award. After careful consideration, we stand by our decision to give this honor to the game's development team. As a reminder, the Quietest Lobby award means we want more people to play this game. As Shack Together producer Joe Stasio has reminded our listeners, XDefiant servers will still be active for several more months for those who already have downloaded the game.
XDefiant is no longer available to download. Ubisoft issued a statement saying the company will keep the servers up until June 3, 2025, but no new player registrations or downloads of the game are allowed.
Best Video Game Pet of 2024 - Nix (Star Wars Outlaws)
This may prove divisive, because Kay Vess would certainly not classify Nix as a pet. Nix is her most loyal companion. Of course, those who have played Star Wars Outlaws recognize that Nix does more than exhibit pet behaviors. He's one of the galaxy's most sophisticated pets, able to fetch distant objects, distract foes, pull levers, open doors, and perform a myriad of functions that many of us could only wish that our dogs and cats could pull off.
Whether you're eating alongside him at a galaxy outpost or having him cheat at Sabacc for you, Nix is an outstanding video game pet who deserves all the love and affection. Fortunately, there's a button to pet him anytime.
Star Wars Outlaws is available on PlayStation, Steam, and Xbox platforms.
Best Nintendo Switch Port of 2024 - Pizza Tower
The year was 2023, Shacknews was completely and utterly enamored with Pizza Tower, a weird and wacky game that gave big Wario Land vibes. We loved it so much that it won our category for Game That Should Be On Nintendo Switch 2023. Cut to 2024 and, wouldn’t you know it, Pizza Tower has burst onto the Nintendo Switch. The stars aligned, wishes were granted, and so it seems only fitting that Pizza Tower has won the Shacknews award for Best Nintendo Switch Port of 2024. If you’re chasing an unhinged, outrageous platformer in the same vein as Earthworm Jim or Battletoads on your Nintendo Switch, then Pizza Tower is for you.
Pizza Tower is available on Nintendo Switch and Steam platforms.
Best PC Port of 2024 - Red Dead Redemption
Of all the games ported to PC over the years, none made more sense in 2024 than Red Dead Redemption. An entire generation of gamers knew the world and events of RDR2 but had never taken that original journey alongside John Marston. Well, Rockstar Games wasn’t about to let that slide through to 2025, and on October 29, 2024, Red Dead Redemption finally made its way to PC. Unlike a few other Rockstar Games PC ports in the last few years, RDR is a fine port that runs well, which was about the only thing required to earn it the Shacknews Best PC Port of 2024 award.
Red Dead Redemption for PC is available on the Steam platform.
Best Action-Adventure Game of 2024 - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is officially the most true-to-source game for exactly what it feels like to experience a cinematic and immersive Indiana Jones adventure. From puzzle-solving and exploration, to daring platforming and dodging traps, to impactful melee combat with your fists, a variety of weapons, and Indy's iconic bullwhip, this game has just about everything you'd want to do with Indiana Jones and then some. Add vast and sprawling environments to explore that include the Vatican and the Pyramids of Giza and you have an incredible globe-trotting adventure that perfectly embodies what it should feel like to be Indiana Jones.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is available on Xbox and Steam platforms. The game will be launching on PS5 next year.
Best Platformer of 2024 - Astro Bot
Team Asobi’s Astro Bot overflows with charm and tight platforming mechanics. The level design is creative, brimming with unique gimmicks reminiscent of Nintendo’s one-off Super Mario levels. Astro Bot controls beautifully, able to accelerate and stop instantly, which comes in handy when you’re tackling the game’s challenge levels.
Sony has been searching for a mascot for years. At last, it has one. As delightful in its humor, visual direction, and tone as it is expertly designed, Astro Bot is one of the best 3D platformers ever made, and the winner of the Shacknews Best Platformer of 2024.
Astro Bot is available on the PlayStation 5 platform.
Best Puzzle Game of 2024 - Isles of Sea and Sky
Pushing blocks. It’s a mechanic almost as old as the mighty jump button. While pushing blocks might require brawn, where you push them requires brains. Isles of Sea and Sky focuses entirely on classic block-moving puzzles, but weaves in some unique mechanics and puzzle elements to keep the challenges fresh.
The gameplay in Isles of Sea and Sky is simple: collect stars to unlock new islands, collect gems within those islands to unlock abilities. To get these items you’ll need to push blocks out of the way.
It begins easily enough, with wooden blocks getting pushed into holes to let you cross over a gap. But soon enough you’re pushing jellyfish blocks into rivers that extend the flow of water, shoving blocks across lava to make them explode, pushing a block that is quantum entangled to another block, and so much more.
Isles of Sea and Sky does a tremendous job at making puzzles feel overwhelming at first. You’ll stare at a screen, unable to tell what to tackle first, but before long you’ll know exactly how a new type of block functions and how to use it in conjunction with others you’ve seen before.
This adorable 8-bit game is completely unassuming and might have passed a few people by. However, if you’ve got the need for a puzzle game, Isles of Sea and Sky is the one you want. Which is why it has won the Shacknews Best Puzzle Game of 2024 award.
Isles of Sea and Sky is available on the Steam platform.
Best Ongoing Game of 2024 - F-Zero 99
It's still hard to fathom that a game like F-Zero 99 even exists at all. It's even wilder to imagine that it's still receiving regular updates. It's a "99" game that's based on the original Super Nintendo version of F-Zero, so one would inherently think that the possibilities for updates are fairly limited. Yet, Nintendo continues to find new ways to keep the racing battle royale experience fresh.
In addition to adding the full course list from the original game, Nintendo dove into F-Zero's history and introduced tracks from the Satellaview era, previously only released in Japan. Even as recently as a week before the Christmas holiday, Nintendo added ice-covered tracks, giving F-Zero's classic race courses a new coat of paint. It's everything an F-Zero fan could want and keeps F-Zero 99 as the best of Nintendo's battle royale titles to date.
F-Zero 99 is available on Switch as part of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service.
Best Free-to-Play Game of 2024 - Marvel Rivals
We knew Marvel Rivals had the makings of the next great hero shooter during its beta, and the full release gave us exactly what we were hoping for. Not only does this free-to-play shooter provide its full roster at no additional charge (or time-gating), but it manages to authentically translate their powers and personalities beautifully. While it's impossible to ignore similarities to Overwatch, Marvel Rivals does something unique with its Team Up mechanic, rewarding players for smart team composition while also giving fun nods to Marvel lore.
Marvel Rivals is available to play for free on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.
Game That Should Be On Nintendo Switch 2024 - Pacific Drive
Pacific Drive is a survival game unlike few others. It puts players in a hauntingly lonesome world with only a rapidly deteriorating vehicle to drive them around. Players are tasked with upgrading their car, but the dangers of the outside Olympic Exclusion Zone make that a tough task. Even with a souped-up car, escaping the Zone's hazards can prove exceptionally tough.
With a simple presentation and a gameplay loop that encourages a lot of driving, Pacific Drive is ideal for a system like the Nintendo Switch. Plus, the Switch has been a champion for indies in the past, so why not add Ironwood Studios' survival masterpiece to the mix?
Pacific Drive is available on PlayStation, and Steam platforms.
Best Add-On of 2024 - Ace League Satellaview Tracks - F-Zero 99
F-Zero 99 has given F-Zero fans a reason to remain as fervently passionate about the franchise as they have been since the last mainline entry in the series. The game has been a blessing and Nintendo has rained down more mana from the heavens in the form of tracks. When it comes to the best add-on this year, Shacknews could not look past the Ace League Satellaview Tracks that were added to F-Zero 99 in October.
The game received Mute City 4, Sand Storm 1, Sand Storm 2, Big Blue 2, and Silence 2. What’s truly incredible about these tracks is that they were originally only distributed on the Super Famicom satellite broadcast adapter, which means not very many people were able to enjoy these courses back in the day. Due to the way they were released, these tracks have been lovingly called the Ace League Satellaview Tracks and have rightfully earned the Shacknews Award for Best Add-On of 2024.
F-Zero 99 is available on Switch as part of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service.
Best Video Game Music of 2024 - Metaphor: ReFantazio
With Metaphor: ReFantazio, ATLUS traded the funky modern beats of the Persona series for enchanting strings and harmonic ballads. The music helps tell the story, with signature songs that make each city and unique location feel unforgettable. One of the biggest standouts is the battle theme, which feels like something that'd play as you walked into a colosseum. It's a perfect rallying cry that manages to never get old in this dense RPG. While there were some amazing nominees in this category, the music of Metaphor: ReFantazio stood above the rest to win the award for Shacknews Best Music of 2024.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is available on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.
Best Sound Design of 2024 - Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
Though there were many games this year that boasted incredible sound design, few managed to come close to the audio experience offered in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2. This game lives and dies by its audio, and the developers at Team Ninja have yet again delivered an audio experience unlike anything else out there in the gaming sphere.
Audio is such an integral part of the Hellblade 2 experience that even if it was slightly amiss, the understanding and importance of the narrative would be lost. Every single vocal track and audio effect is mixed together with a level of mastery that is difficult to describe, let alone achieve.
Senua is bombarded internally by voices in her head. This is delivered to the player in a fully 3D experience with each and every audio element being delicately placed at just the right spot so as to uplift the situation.
A whisper might sound a million miles away or directly up in your eardrum. A roar of anger might be coming from behind you while you face down another attacker that’s shouting directly in front. Meanwhile, the clash and shock of swords colliding weaves through the voices as the gentle patter of rain mutes the harsher edges of the world.
It’s all a beautiful tapestry of audio on which the whole experience hangs. Congratulations to Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 for winning the Shacknews Award for Best Sound Design of 2024.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is available on Xbox and Steam platforms.
Best Water of 2024 - Another Crab's Treasure
We'll admit, Another Crab's Treasure had a leg or several up on the competition because it literally takes place entirely under water. That, in of itself, informs the visuals and gameplay, but Another Crab's Treasure also does these things well. Water physics are constantly at play. Kril and the other characters sway through this world with a swishy flow that makes combat and traversal an interesting endeavor, and Another Crab's Treasure uses the setting in a lot of interesting ways mechanically. Then, there's the stark context of the water. The sea in Another Crab's Treasure is littered with trash. It's beautiful at times when the natural splendor of the ocean bed comes through and subtly (or sometimes overtly) upsetting when you see pockets of the water just buried in human litter. It's an almost constant and darkly comedic reminder of just how poorly we treat the Earth's actual water ecosystems. Another Crab's Treasure is one of the most interesting souls-likes we've seen, and water plays a naturally massive part in making great gameplay, but also conveying an important message, and that was more than enough to put it over the top for our Shacknews Award for Best Water of 2024.
Another Crab's Treasure is available on Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.
Best Gore of 2024 - Helldivers 2
One glance at Helldivers 2 and you know why it has won this award. The game shares a lot in common with Starship Troopers, from its satire to its militarized democracy, but halfway through the opening cutscene, you’ll see it also shares the gore factor.
Helldivers 2 takes the level of gore from the first game and ratchets it up tenfold. Now in third-person, blowing up a bug and seeing its blood and guts fly across the screen offers a fresh perspective on the viscera.
Bugs explode with limbs flailing and twitching. Automatons fry and twitch as bullets riddle their hulls. Even the new Illuminate slop and splatter with satisfying sound and visuals.
And when all is said and done, and you return to your flagship, your helldiver will be covered from head to toe with the bloody entrails of Super Earth’s adversaries. Well done, soldier.
Helldivers 2 is available on Steam and PlayStation platforms.
Best Headshot of 2024 - Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is the ultimate power fantasy. As soon as you step inside the power armor of a Space Marine, you know you’re about to obliterate some xenos scum for the glory of humanity and for the beaming smile of the Emperor of Mankind. We were already sold on the experience, but then we got to see the various headshots you could perform. Not only are you able to pop heads using all assortment of weaponry, the feedback is brutal with xenos heads exploding with chunks of meat and blood while the body spasms to the ground. Did we mention the outlandish finisher moves? No? Well, in specific situations, you can instantly kill the bugs with your Bolt Pistol, delivering a lethal blow straight to their frontal lobe. It’s hardcore, it’s bloody, and it’s the Best Headshot of 2024 award winner here at Shacknews.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is available on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.
Best Cameo of 2024 - Terry Bogard (Street Fighter 6)
Street Fighter 6 has been kicking around for more than a year at this point, and Capcom has been adding value to the game with plenty of content and DLC characters. However, the developer shocked the heck out of everyone when they announced the Year 2 DLC characters, which include SNK's Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui. Mai's still around the corner, but Terry came out this year, and he's ridiculously fun. Capcom and SNK went all out on this one, giving us Terry's original vest costume, his Garou bomber jacket costume, and a wide variety of mechanics that hearken back to his roots. Power Wave, Burn Knuckle, Crack Shoot, Rising Tackle, and more made it over appropriately, but words can't really describe how delightful it feels when you hit a Buster Wolf or Power Geyser combo. Of course, picking up the win gives you Terry's classic hat-throwing victory celebration as well. There's so much attention to detail in this cameo, and it continues to keep a hope burning in our hearts that someday, Capcom vs. SNK 3 just might be coming for real. "Are you okay?" Yes. Yes we are Terr- "Buster Wolf!!!"
Street Fighter 6 is available on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
Best Online Presentation of 2024 - Nintendo Museum Direct
Nintendo showing off its first ever museum facility could have been a straightforward affair. It could have simply been a Nintendo representative showing off some of its exhibits and calling it a day. Instead, Nintendo luminary Shigeru Miyamoto personally led fans through a guided tour that feels more like a theme park than a traditional museum.
The Nintendo Museum Direct not only showed off Nintendo's interactive exhibit house, but acted as a comprehensive history lesson. Fans got to learn about the company's humble beginnings as a toy and card company, see its gradual evolution into becoming one of the biggest names in video games, and even got to see some off-the-wall products that illustrated the phrase "Weird Nintendo." It was unlike any other online presentation this year and one that would lend itself to multiple rewatches.
The Nintendo Museum Direct can be viewed on Nintendo of America's YouTube channel.
Best NPC of 2024 - Gallica (Metaphor: ReFantazio)
Gallica is by your side from the very beginning of the journey in Metaphor: ReFantazio. She serves as a guide to the game's mechanics and systems, ensuring that you don't lose sight of active quests or upcoming deadlines. She's also a heartful companion, providing valuable insight and advice during Metaphor's quieter moments. It's impossible not to fall in love with the fairy companion by the time the credits have rolled making Gallica the Shacknews Award winner for Best NPC of 2024.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is available on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.
Pop! Goes the Culture! Presents Best Adaptation of 2024 - Fallout (TV Series)
Prime Video's Fallout show provided the blueprint for how to adapt beloved video games for film and television: pair the people behind the source material with an expert group of writers and producers.
The team at Kilter Films used their experience in TV storytelling to provide a gripping show that brought laughs and emotion with each episode, while Bethesda's insight kept the entire project true to the nature of Fallout.
Of course, the show wouldn't have nearly as large an impact had it not been for some excellent performances in the leading roles. Both Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins elevate Fallout with multidimensional performances that lit up the screen every time they were in frame.
Did we mention that they built a life-sized Power Armor suit for this show?
Fallout is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Check out the full slate of Shacknews Awards 2024 nominees.
That does it for our Year of the Games: 2024 celebration. Congratulations to all of the Shacknews Awards winners in 2024, and we can't wait to see what surprises this industry brings us in the new year!
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