The Game Awards2024 is arguably one of the most exciting announcement events in years. Classic franchises are returning for the first time in decades, and Naughty Dog has revealed its bold new direction into the future. CD Projekt Red also revealed The Witcher IV will finally have Ciri as its main protagonist, giving fans an all-new era in the universe after Geralt’s epic quest.
Best of 2024 – Day One: Story, Soundtrack, Performance, Graphics, Design
Today we present you with the Best of Story, Soundtrack, Performance, Technical Graphics and Artistic Design.
There was just so much hype during The Game Awards 2024, it’s hard to know where to start. Not to fear! We’ve picked the most thrilling reveals and trailers that we’re excited about from the event.
10Dispatch
A new super-hero themed adventure game,Dispatchis on the way from former developers of The Wolf Among Us and Tales from the Borderlands, two acclaimed Telltale projects over the past decade. It stars talented actors like Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Laura Bailey (The Last of Us Part 2), and Jeffrey Wright (The Batman). After a superhero mission goes wrong, you play as a dispatcher for heroes rather than going on jobs yourself.
TheSteam pagesays we’ll be “balancing office politics, personal relationships, and your own quest to become a hero.” The graphic book-like art style really pops on screen, and Dispatch as a game shows promise.
9Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
Similar to TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, a classic video game franchise returns in Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound. It combines the classic 2D platformer origins of the series with the hardcore elements of the 3D entries to make a new side-scrolling experience that both fans will likely enjoy.
Scheduled for sometime in the summer, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound has classic 8-bit sprites, has fast-paced action, and is being developed by the talented developer of Blasphemous, The Game Kitchen. Dotemu is going to be publishing the title. We equated Blasphemous to peanut butter and chocolate in our4/5 review, so Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound should be on our radars.
8Project Robot
Some of the best PS2-era games are directed by Fumito Ueda, who helped create Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. The environmental storytelling of these games was immense and way ahead of its time. The art style and storytelling direction are often related to the works of the legendary Studio Ghibli.
Review: Shadow of the Colossus (PS4)
Shadow of the Colossus has always been a stunning game, but this PS4 remake is unarguably its definitive version.
Project Robot continues the legacy of Ueda’s work with the help of Epic Games Publishing. Not much is known about the game, but the trailer shows a gorgeous scene of the protagonist riding a robot’s head into the sky. The past works of Ueda alone are worth getting excited about Project Robot.
7Split Fiction
Split Fiction is the next game from the creative minds of Josef Fares and his company Hazelight Studios. In this co-op exclusive game, we’re switching between fantasy and sci-fi worlds, each with its own unique levels and situations to come across. We’ll be flying through the sky on top of a dragon or playing as pigs that eventually turn into sausages on a grill.
Hazelight has previously made 2021 Game of the Year It Takes Two and will likely get more buss with Split Fiction when it releases in March. The cool thing about this game, like the others, is that you can utilize a Friend’s Pass, so only one of you has to buy the game.
6Clive Joins Tekken 8
Final Fantasy XVI heroClive Rosfield is joining Tekken 8’s rosteras a DLC character. Clive’s moveset looks impressive with stylish combos and magic that fit into Tekken 8’s gameplay. He looks fantastic in the game, and what makes this hero stand out even further is his stage.
Surrounded in fire and a match between aeons, the battle gets intense between Rosfield and members of the Mishima family. He also comes with multiple costumes with his release. Unfortunately, Joshua isn’t playable, but you’ll be able to master Clive’s moveset when he releases on December 16 for those who have Early Access. He launches three days later for everyone else.
5Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Onimusha hasn’t been around since the PS2 days, but the series is finally returning in 2026 with Way of the Sword. The new trailer teases intense swordplay against monsters called Genma. It is set during the Edo-era in the town of Kyoto, in which clouds of Malice cover the air. It is up to you as a samurai to take them down with the Oni Gauntlet and save the community. “Through gritty, blood-soaked brawls, he searches for his reason to fight,” said the game’s Steam page. The gameplay looks intriguing as it seems to be Capcom’s first take on the popular Souls-like genre.
4Okami Sequel
Another Capcom surprise is the return of Okami, and it’s not a remake. It’s a full-blown sequel! There was no gameplay shown, just a brief cinematic teaser, but the reveal itself is ramped up by a live taiko drum player that upped the tension of the moment. The music for the trailer is also incredible.
The legendary Hideki Kamiya is returning to direct the Okami sequel, and he’s started his new studio Clovers, inspired by the original name of the Capcom branch that made the first Okami and the Viewtiful Joe series. No release time has been given yet, but it’s good to know we’re finally getting a sequel to the hidden gem decades later.
3The Witcher IV
Geoff Keighley kept a lot of surprises for this year’s The Game Awards, and one of them isThe Witcher IV. The cinematic reveal trailer showcased Ciri as the new protagonist of the series, moving on from Geralt, who will have a lasting legacy in the industry. The narrative is gripping within the six-minute trailer as Ciri fights a hideous creature and tries to save a girl from being sacrificed. Unfortunately, the villagers sacrificed her anymore in fear.
Towards the end, it shows that Ciri may not be as disciplined as her master as she angrily storms towards the villagers. No release date has been given yet, but the trailer is absolutely stunning with in-engine visuals from Unreal Engine 5.
2Elden Ring: Nightreign
FromSoftware could indeed have three back-to-back Game of the Year nominations in a row withElden Ring: Nightreign, a new multiplayer spin on the Soulsborne formula. Another fact of note is that this will be a standalone adventure and not DLC. We’ll be taking on old bosses from past entries (and new ones) and exploring an alternate take on the original world of Elden Ring.
Additionally, there will be different champions to choose from, each with their own pluses and minuses to add to the three-player co-op gameplay. The action looks as intense as ever and there are new features like wall running and the ability to fly in this open world game.
1Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
The most impressive game that was shown during The Game Awards 2024 is arguablyIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Naughty Dog creating a sci-fi game is exciting after the thrilling action of the Uncharted series and the dramatic events of The Last of Us. We’re playing a bounty hunter, who is seeking a target that was once close to her, if the trailer is to be believed.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet’s music will be composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
The catch, however, is that the bounty hunter Jordan A. Mun has to enter Sempiria, a planet that no one has left for over 600 years and went dark hundreds of years ago. The trailer is captured in-engine and looks absolutely stunning. The facial animations are incredible, and the visuals of seeing her sword light up in red, lightsaber-style gets us pumped for the in-game action.
All the Reveals From the 2024 Day of the Devs: The Game Awards Edition
Shooting stars, enchanted card-based stealth, singing peanuts…this latest Day of the Devs showcase had a ton of new indie games to check out.
