The Totally-Not-Made-Up DearGamers GOTYee Awards – 2024
Here at DearGamers, we are all about celebrating video games. I love games, you love games, we love games, he/she/it/they love them games – why else would we be here?
We also take things super seriously, and so to make sure we are powerscaling our enjoyment of games effectively and definitively documenting the most bestest of best games as dictated by us, the arbiters of peak gaming quality, we are continuing the tradition of the DearGamers Game of the Year awards.
SO.
Here are your 2024 DG GOTYee award winners, presented by Manchego (aka Manny) the GOTYee Goat. Join us in celebrating some truly amazing (and seriously deserving) games:
Michaela’s picks
Best Game with the Worst Name
What’s in a name? Well, in marketing terms: everything. Having a strong brand identity helps gamers know what you’re about and whether they may be interested. But some brave games say fuck it. We’re a unicorn.
Winner: Unicorn Overlord
Is this game about a Unicorn who becomes an Overlord? No. Does it matter? Also, no. Amongst the JRPG/tactics community, Unicorn Overlord has universally been touted as one of the best games of 2024. It’s an Ogre Battle successor done in gorgeous Vanillaware style and I happily deleted 120 hours of my life for it.
Best New PS2 Game
Wait – they’re still making PS2 games?! No wonder Jim Ryan let it slip that PS2 sales finally cracked 160 milly. Good thing I still have mine – GGs!
Winner: Kunitsu-gami: Path of the Goddess
Okay, so – is Kunitsu-gami really a PS2 game? Well, no. But it sure as hell has the spirit of one. I don’t know how this game got greenlit – but I’m so glad it exists. It has that weird PS2 era Capcom vibe and it tries things that most other games would never dare. If moving tower defense mixed with action combat set to a backdrop of Japanese mythology conveyed through traditional Kabuki pantomime sounds good to you, this game is it.
Best Shellslike. Shoalslike? I don’t shucking know – pick one
Oh god, another Souls clone? I swear to Cod, if this one doesn’t do something to truly set itself apart from the schools of other fishes in the sea, I’m taking this award back.
Winner: Another Crab’s Treasure
Can you tell how uncomfortable I am trying to keep up with these puns? (Jason, I feel you staring at me. You can stop now.) But for this game, I’ll make the effort. Never has a SOULSLIKE made me SMILE so damn much – while also low key delivering a weirdly powerful message. But if the puns or the challenging fights start to piss you off – it’s ok. This game gives you a one-shot, insta-KO gun. No notes, 10/10.
Most Dangerous Game I have EVER Played
There’s a reason why this article is being written at the very last minute in December like a college student cramming in an essay the night before it’s due. And that reason: is gameplay crack.
Winner: Balatro
Balatro is gameplay in its purest form. It’s hard to even compare this game to other GOTY nominees – it doesn’t do story or world building or exploration or RPG mechanics or combat or any of that. It just does what it does exceedingly well: it takes the basic concept of poker hands and slaps it in the face with the most addictive twist on the roguelike formula that I have ever seen. If you haven’t played it – why? And if you have, how did you stop long enough to read this random nonsense? (No seriously, how did you stop? I need help…)
Best Ninten-does what Ninten…did?
Awarded to the most Nintendo-ass Nintendo game of the year. The most on-brand, iconic Nintendo-ly Nintendo thing that only Nintendo would do.
Winner: Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club
Reviving old franchises with remakes, re-releases and even new entries? Check. Delivering gorgeous, colorful, artistic experiences only available on Switch? Check. Chasing down a serial murderer with a kink for smiley faces drawn on brown paper bags? Chec- wait… this is a Nintendo game?! And hold on – what is this rated?? Does the PTA know about this?!
Best NieR-like Game
Awarded to the game that carries the spirit of NieR: from the high octane, flashy, satisfying combat to the chill but still somehow hype beats to the boldly beautiful MC who doesn’t give a flying fart what you think a female video game character should or shouldn’t look like.
Winner: Stellar Blade
You may hear some people call this game a Soulslike – they’re wrong (let’s stop the Souls-washing people). It’s a NieR-like – and after some of the latest crossover updates, it’s not even hiding it anymore. While the story doesn’t reach the highest Yoko Taro heights, the combat sings and the game’s audio-visual presentation does too. Plus: there’s fishing. ‘Nough said.
Best Pi-Rat Adventure
Some games have pirates. Others, have pi-rats. Both are great. But only one is PURFECT.
Winner: Cat Quest III
Meow that I’ve played this game, I will die on the hill that it is one of the most underrated indie gems of 2024 and anyone who says otherwise can catch these paws because I am nyan having it – good GOD HOW IS THIS ANOTHER ENTRY COMING FROM ME THAT’S FULL OF PUNS? MAKE IT STOP – ROLL THE NEXT AWARD
Best Squenix Pixel Art Wet Dream
Squenix may fear the onset of pixel art fatigue, but I ain’t seeing it and so long as they keep making games that qualify for this category, I’mma keep handing out this award. Same as last year, this is our site – and no one can stop me!
Winner: Dragon Quest III HD2D
Last year, this honor went to Octopath Traveler II, with an honorable mention to Star Ocean: The Second Story R. If these three games don’t show you the breadth and adaptability of the HD2D style, then I don’t know what does. How they play with 2D vs. 3D elements, the use of color and lighting, the expressiveness of the character sprites, the role of the camera both in and out of combat, and my god – I’m still not over the WATER. SEXIEST WATER IN VIDEO GAMES. There. I finally said it.
Best Persona Re-Release
From FES to Portable, from 4G to 5R, Atlus loves a good re-release almost as much as they love a spin-off – and boy, do they know how to make ‘em.
Winner: Persona 3 Reload
What can I say? Atlus is peak. P3R, SMTV, Metaphor, and even assisting on Unicorn Overlord – and that’s JUST 2024. Every single one a certified banger – even for their now infamous re-releases. Is it still Persona 3 – technically for the *fourth* time now? At its core, yes. But is it also a totally new experience worth diving into face first whether you’re a newcomer or a series vet? Oh hell yes.
Best Hulkenburg AND Best Heismay
A special 2-for-1 award, given to the game with the best elven shield-warrior with a weird food fetish and the best ninja bat dad with the deep, deep voice of an angel.
Winner: Metaphor Refantazio
A good JRPG has a good story with good combat and satisfying RPG mechanics. Maybe with a cool world and memorable soundtrack too. But a truly GREAT JRPG lives and dies by its characters. And while I will long remember Metaphor’s spin on hybrid action-turn based combat and job class systems galore, the thing that I think I will truly carry with me are its characters. Hulkenburg and Heismay may be my favorites, but the entire cast is something special – and that is something I can only say of my most goated, lifelong favorite JRPGs like FFX and VII, so that places Metaphor in some god-tier company in my books.
Best Complete, Standalone, Total-Package Experience
It’s in the title. Awarded to the game that delivers the most complete, standalone, total-package experience. The kind that has everything and more. All the things you thought to ask for, plus all the ones you didn’t.
Winner: Queen’s Blood
No seriously. Queen’s Blood is a real ass video game. INSIDE another video game but who’s counting. These awards are REAL. TOTALLY REAL. But dead ass, Queen’s Blood accounted for a solid 30+ hours of my 165 hour-long journey through FFVII Rebirth this year. So if anyone from Square is out there reading this, COME ON GIVE THIS THING ITS OWN LAUNCHER WITH NEW MUSICAL TRACKS AND CUSTOMIZABLE BOARDS AND NEW CARD PACKS. I’LL LEAVE POKEMON TCG POCKET FOR YOU.
Best *ACTUAL* Complete, Standalone, Total-Package Experience
Awarded to the game that has it all – and makes it fun to see and experience everything it has to offer. Emphasis on *experience* – I’ll explain why in a moment so brace for a bit of sentimental mushy stuff.
Winner: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
FFVII Rebirth is an impossible game. It should not exist. It’s almost easy to take for granted the level of quality Square delivered in just over 3 years of full dev time (post Intergrade), wringing everything they could out of UE4 (not UE5, *4*). The way the music transitions seamlessly from one scenario to the next, the way every little bit of NPC dialogue is voiced to flesh out a truly living world, the depth of detail in every single environment, the elevation of what was already one of the best combat systems in FF history, the unparalleled character writing and performances, the sheer scope of the game – if the number one complaint is “too much content,” then we are truly blessed to have one of the best worst problems in gaming.
Rebirth reminded me of what it’s like to take joy in truly *playing* a game – not just beating it to check it off the never-ending gaming to-do list. I damn near lost my breath sinking into the world, LIVING in that world – wanting to just see and experience every little sight and sound it had to offer. Both objectively and subjectively, it is one of the single best – if not THE best – games I have ever played.
And with that, I’ve hit my quota for gushy ramblings for the year – take it away, Jason!
Jason’s picks
I played this BEFORE it became cool again Award
Awarded to a game (usually an indie just because of the reach or lack thereof) that it seems no one played at launch but then things happened, things were added, people were killed (maybe?), and, now, everyone and their mother is playing this game that you played, loved, probably finished and/or achieved 100%. On the bright side, you can be that person that regales everyone with nostalgia about “when this launched…” that no one gives a crap about.
Winner: Fallout 76
Before the acceptance speech, a minor gripe: most of the people that badmouthed Fallout 76 at launch did not actually play the game. They watched their favorite streamer or YouTuber complain and they took it and ran. To be fair, it is a Bethesda game so the launch was no better or worse than most games in the library. Yes, the game was “empty” so to speak but they did explain the reason the world was empty. Anywho…I clocked in 100+ hours before they even added in that first content update with the NPCs. 2024 saw an overhaul of the seasons, regular events, and a full DLC. 2025 brings in even more content.
Holy Shit, I played a lot of games focused on mining Award
Awarded to a game that, well, focuses on mining. I’m not talking about games that have mining, usually as a profession or part of the gathering system to build like World of Warcraft or Valheim. These are games that shape their core identity around mining minerals. This would seem like a small grouping of games but you would be surprised.
Winners: Below the Stone, Bore Blasters, Wall World, and Dome Keeper (Honorable Mention: UnderMine - I replayed because the sequel was announced)
This is probably not a shock to anyone who frequents the website but most of these games are roguelites which is probably one of the main reasons I was even remotely interested. Yet, once I started mining ore to buy/build upgrades just to mine better ore, that loop sucked me right in just like all my favorite roguelites. What is great is that most of these games have their own unique spin. Below the Stone almost played like an ARPG with the focus to gather and get out; Bore Blasters was a race to the bottom while using a MACHINE GUN DRILL; Wall World was a tower defense game but you could pilot the tower; and Dome Keeper was tower defense but you have to outlast the wave-based hordes. Fun fact: the mining tag for games on Steam brings up 604 games (it’s a growing subgenre!)
Groundhog Day is a roguelite, change my mind Award
This goes to the game (obviously a roguelite) that has the most satisfying game loop. It’s that loop that is enough to bring you from hulk-smash-controller-frustration to trying one more time.
Winner: The Land Beneath Us
It was tough to pick just one winner (again, I play a ton of roguelites). The runner-ups to this were Balatro and Aura of Worlds (honorable mention: Windblown - it is Early Access but probably will be given an award next year). The Land Beneath Us provided a randomized dungeon every single time you started. You could purchase upgrades but you had no idea what to expect when starting a new round. Also, when you lost, it most definitely was your fault and that was the push you needed to jump right back in. Several times I had shut the game off after losing only to turn it back on 10 minutes later just to try again.
Nostalgia is cool but it does not make you good at online sports games Award
Obviously, this goes to a sports game. It's not just any sports game but one that really tugs on the ol’ nostalgic belt.
College Football 25
The last College Football game before 2024 was in 2014. The last time I played a College Football game was in 2003. We didn’t have a football team at the University of Scranton so I made one. All my buddies and I took turns and played. We won a National Championship and our save file ended up with 9 of the first 10 picks in Madden. Of course, I was going to play the latest addition. It was fun playing against the computer and leading Notre Dame to victory. Playing against real people…that was a different story altogether. We’re talking soulslike levels of frustration. Either I was incredibly bad, my opponent was incredibly good, or both. I still had an absolute blast playing the non-online portions so I can’t take that away from the game.
Best…Typing Game???
This one goes to the game that….I got nothing. It’s for a typing game (a Steam search came up with 541 other titles so I guess it is a thing).
Winner: Glyphica: Typing Survival
At least 90% of my actual job involves typing. I can type at a respectable 95 WPM. I also use mechanical keyboards for both work and play and find the clicking sound extremely satisfying. This particular game also happens to be a roguelite (…there it is). In a nutshell, you type the words as they come across the screen. I bet you were not expecting this type of game to get its own award.
I can’t play this game for more than half an hour without wanting to go to sleep Award
This award goes to a game that is so relaxing that it makes your brain forget everything.
Winner: Power Wash Simulator
I started this game back in December of 2023. The reason I have yet to finish it is because every time I play, I need to stop after half an hour unless I want to nap. First off, watching the dirt just go away is super satisfying. Second, perhaps the sound of the power washer is like a lullaby. I have tried playing first thing in the morning, in the middle of the day, and late at night, but, without fail, I get sleepy hearing the sounds and watching the dirt vanish. I guess I can try it on mute.
"I wrote an article about why you should play a game for 50+ more hours after beating it and now I tripled that and haven't slowed down so my article needs to be amended" GOTY Award for 2023 needs to be amended again because I almost reached 400 hours since Award
This is the Seinfeld of blurbs - yadda yadda yadda
Winner: Remnant 2
If you want it to be, Remnant 2 is a 40-45ish hour game and then it can go back on the shelf. Like the award reads, I wrote an article about the game when I hit the 100-hour mark. Since that time, 2 DLC and an additional game mode have been added. Remnant 2 is the first game that was ever my most played 2 years in a row. As we wind down 2024, it seems like chances of a 3 peat in 2025 are slim BUT we’ll just have to wait for next year’s awards to find out.
I hate the concept of awards but I understand the point but I don’t understand why World of Warcraft is never nominated Award
This award title explains it all.
Winner: World of Warcraft
To be clear, I do not care what wins each year. I played and/or started 89 games this year. An awards show does not dictate (for me at least but I hope for others) what I should be playing. What I do not understand is why World of Warcraft is never nominated. At the very least, it should be a mainstay in the Ongoing Game category (fine, only put it in in years that have an expansion - that’s still 10+ times). WoW is and will probably always be my gaming comfort food. I have learned over the years that breaks from the game are a good thing (“Absence makes the heart grow fonder”). I don’t even engage in endgame content anymore but I still find hours of entertainment. I get that the game has its detractors/haters/bashers/whathaveyou but the game has over 7 million subscribers (rough estimate - google it yourself).
The Marshall Family GOTY Award
In a rare occurrence, I 100% agree with both my 9 and 5 year old what the best game this year was.
Winner: Astro Bot
For me, Astro Bot (my 5 year old named the bot Timmy and that is how we refer to the game in our house) is the best platformer I have played since the Nintendo 64 days. It is an excellent game in every imaginable way, from gameplay, replayability, challenge, sound design, art, and fun factor. It is also the first game that both my kids played from start to finish (thank you for 3 save slots). To be fair, Roblox and Minecraft are the bane of my existence so seeing my 9 year old play something else and something I love was a treat. You never have to convince me of the quality of Sony’s library, especially this generation, but I still cannot get over how much fun this game was to play and replay and watch someone else play.
