The Game Awards nominees prove that 2024 is the year of the JRPG, with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Metaphor ReFantazio leading the field
The Game Awards nominees for 2024 are in, and if you had any doubt this was the year of the JRPG, the numerous nominations for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Metaphor: ReFantazio should put that doubt to rest.
Leading the field with seven nominations apiece are PlayStation exclusives Astro Bot and FF7 Rebirth, narrowly ahead of Metaphor: ReFantazio with six nominations. Those three games are up for the big Game of the Year award, joined by Black Myth: Wukong, Balatro, and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
The Game Awards have been around for a while now, though this year's nominees were always going to be a bit different. That's because, per the website FAQ page, "expansion packs, new game seasons, DLCs, remakes, and remasters" are eligible for a judge's consideration. Shadow of the Erdtree's position in the main GOTY award is testament to that, as are Silent Hill 2's various nods across the categories.
"The Game Awards aims to recognize the best creative and technical work each year, irrespective of the format of that content's release," the website reads. "Expansion packs, new game seasons, DLCs, remakes, and remasters are eligible in all categories, if the jury deems the new creative and technical work to be worthy of a nomination. Factors such as the newness of the content and its price/value should be taken into consideration."
The call makes enough sense, especially in a year where the likes of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and Silent Hill 2 Remake have landed to critical acclaim. How many awards will either snag? You have just under a month to find out who will win what. The Game Awards kick off on December 12 and will be available to watch on YouTube and Twitch.
The best games I've played in 2024 did not come out in 2024 – this is your sign to tend to that backlog.
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