Player 2 Vs The Game Awards 2024
Another year, another gigantic celebration of video games, and marketing beat for publishers to show off what is new and fancy on the horizon. With Geoff Keighley talking a big game as always, it’s fascinating to see what is in store. Join Player 2 Editors, Paul James, and Jess Zammit as the pair break down every single reveal, performance, and perhaps even cringeworthy moment from The Game Awards 2024.
The Pre Show
Ninja Gaiden Ragebound
Paul: I didn’t mind Ninja Gaiden in the classic days, but as the we hit the OG Xbox titles, I really started to get pushed away because the games were just getting too brutally difficult for me to really enjoy them. Keen to see what happens if we’re embracing the past a bit more.
Jess: A very visually cool start! I’ve never been much of a Ninja Gaiden person, so this isn’t huge news for me, but this one’s definitely bringing the energy to kick off the show.
One Move Away
Paul: I think I’ll need to check this one out again somewhere down the road, but the tone of the game was great, I just don’t know if it’s a game for me yet.
Jess: Okay it’s like Moving Out meets Unpacking, but also way cozier than the former and seemingly gives a little more freedom than the latter? Either way, I can see myself vibing out to this for hours on end for some serious stress relief. I’m definitely intrigued.
Slay The Spire II
Paul: I’ve seen and heard so much about Slay The Spire, and yet, I’ve not been able to varve out the time to properly check the game out. Now there’s a sequel on the way so maybe the right thing for me to do is just to jump in with the sequel. I’ll watch this space.
Jess: Slay the Spire is one of those games that everyone talks about that I say is on my list, but realistically, will I ever get there? The second one looks fun, and I hope it lives up to the hype for those who are into the first one.
Dave The Diver
Paul: Still waiting to find the time to play Dave The Diver. I love what this game is supposed to be, but I also haven’t yet checked it out and that’s a bit disappointing. Time to rectify that!
Jess: ANOTHER one that’s on my list that I haven’t gotten around to yet, but this one I think will happen. This is one hell of a groovy background track over this trailer, either way.
Thick As Thieves
Paul: Warren Spector is back huh?! That alone is exciting news, however this was just a CG trailer and so there must always be that grain of salt taken with trailer such as this. The principle idea though speaks to me a bit, so I’m absolutely keen to learn more.
Jess: Huh. Yeah, I guess he is. I’m also wary of CG trailers, so we’ll see how this plays out, but the characters do look cool, so I’m willing to be cautiously intrigued. I have a lot more questions though. Is this a multiplayer game? I have to guess yes? Online? Who knows. I’ll hold my questions until more is revealed.
Shadow Labyrinth
Paul: The game had a really fascinating style about it, and the moment-to-moment action evoked a bit of Ori and even a bit of Hollow Knight. This is a seemingly-Metroidvania styled game that I can really get around. Keen to go hands on as soon as I possible can.
Jess: Some very cool enemy design going on here, with a little bit of gentle horror – but a small enough amount that I might be tempted to give this one a go. I wish it had more of a hook to it, though.
Steel Paws
Paul: I’m impressed by how the game looks, but at the same time, I’ve got absolutely no idea what is as a video game, and that is a bit deflating.
Jess: Adorable! What exactly this game will be I have no idea, but at least we know it’s going to be cute?
Tales Of The Shire
Paul: The game looks better and better with each time I’ve seen it lately. It needed extra polish, and the studio has been struck with layoffs which really sucks, but I’m super excited to check it out.
Jess: This one’s a bit bittersweet now, given Weta has been one of this year’s casualties of the newest wave of layoffs, but regardless – the game looks great. I can’t wait to jump into the cozier side of Middle Earth, and really lose myself to a world where my biggest problem is thinking about second breakfast.
Stalcraft X: Operations
didn’t know how I would be playing it, or what makes this one different to the many other big alien shooters out there. I’ll need more info.
Jess: AGAIN I ask myself – okay, but what is this game actually? A shooter of some kind, clearly, but there also seemed to be moments of platforming. I don’t think this game is going to be my kind of thing, but I really have no way of knowing when I can’t get a clear picture of what it is.
Midnight Murder Club
Paul: This looks pretty cool! It’s well documented that I’m not crazy about multiplayer, but I was pretty impressed by the tone of this one. I think it will be a lot of fun to play regardless of whether I’m getting my ass kicked consistently or not. Keen to see more!
Jess: Well the ‘murder’ keyword has now been uttered, so this game has my attention. It feels like it might scratch the itch for when I want to do some collaborative mystery solving Phasmophobia style, but am not quite feeling brave enough to jump into Phas. If I can get some buddies together to give this one a go, I can see it becoming a group favourite.
Kyora
Paul: I really took a liking to Core Keeper, this teams’ last title (Jess, you should totally check it out!), but I’m a little less enamoured by this one. Might just need to wait and see more, because I’ll back their ability to make a good game in.
Jess: And speaking of games to replace the ones I play with friends – maybe this one is going to become what Terraria once was? I can be pulled back into games like this one so easily, especially when I can get a little crew together to do it. I’m curious to see what it will have to offer beyond farming, but am willing to stick around to find out.
Rematch
Paul: This was a game I couldn’t possibly have predicted from SloClap. Let’s not forget that this is the team responsible for Sifu, and now all of a suddent they’re taking on a soccer game? What?! It presented pretty well, but I’m still a little baffled by the games’ existence. Keen to see more.
Jess: I would not have known that context, but now having seen Paul’s comment I’m so amused. I love this as a next step for them. I probably won’t play the game, but I love the audacity of going from something like Sifu to soccer. Hold onto that boldness, SloClap.
Solasta II
Paul: What a gorgeous looking game! I’m not sure if it’ll necessarily be the game for me as far as a playing experience, but Solasta II looks absolutely stunning, and I’m all for judging a book by its cover. I’m interested enough to check out whatever is coming next.
Jess: Pretty! And we love footage captured in-engine! And a game that shows what it’s about! I know nothing about Solasta, so I’m not sure how excited to be, but it does look like a fun time.
The Main Show
The Witcher IV
Paul: OH MY LORD! The Witcher III was my No.1 game of last generation and to see Ciri burst onto screen with the first reveal of the main show set my hype levels into overdrive, both for the game itself, which, while not representative of the final product, looked incredible, and for the rest of the night. What a phenomenal way to begin the show in terms of reveals. CD Project Red, I love you.
Jess: CIRIIIIIIIII. Hell. Yes. And some creepy Midsommar vibes to go with the whole thing. Perhaps controversially, I like The Witcher, but I don’t love it – that is going to drastically change if Ciri is at the centre of it all instead of Geralt. I’m so much more interested in her perspective.
Elden Ring: Nightreign
Paul: This could be the FromSoft experience that gets me to complete one of their games… mostly just because I’ll get carried by someone like The PopCulturists’ Max Cooper or someone else who is super proficient in Souls games. May not be experiencing it in the right way… but I’ll take it.
Jess: I’m happy for all the people who like Elden Ring, and am sure there will be uproar and excitement. I am not one of those people, so I feel pretty neutral about this whole thing. Co-op is cool though?
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Paul: It was only a matter of time before we got the Rebirth port and now it’s on the way. It doesn’t hold much appeal for me, because I’ve played it in full on PS5 already, but I’m very excited for the PC community, and to see just how good this game can look.
Jess: I mean, all games are really just coming to PC now, so it’s getting a little tough to muster up enthusiasm for every one. Oh god, am I just getting too cynical for The Game Awards, now? I fear I might be. It’s okay – I have a few more hours of this to get my joy back.
Catly
Paul: I completely missed this initially, and given what I found when I backtracked, I was okay with missing it. Cute cats, but no substance – hard pass.
Jess: Yeah, no, this looks AI as hell. So I don’t really care how cute the cats are.
Project: Robot
Paul: I was getting social media memories about The Last Guardian the other day. I was stunned when I realised that that game was 2016. We’ve long known that GenDesign had partnered up with Epic Games, but I was also starting to worry that it all might fall through. Thankfully that isn’t the case, and I’m incredibly excited for all that is to come.
Jess: It’s hard not to be excited by something new from this group of legends, but at the same time, I’m nervous about the phrase “pushing our medium to new limits” that old mate Keighley used. Please don’t be using AI. Please just don’t. Please just make wonderful art the way we all know you can. That’s all I ask.
The Outer Worlds 2
Paul: I’m shocked by this one for multiple reasons. Firstly, The Outer Worlds 2 is on track to release in 2025… the same year that they release Avowed? That seems like a lot! Also, the game is multiplatform straight out the gate. The questions about the future of console exclusivity on Xbox will continue to get asked with this news. Loving the tone of the game, and I’m keen to see more, but the big news is what doesn’t relate specifically to the playing of the game.
Jess: It does seem like a lot, but I’m also pretty sure it’s been a few years since they first announced this game, so I’m not as shocked as maybe I should be. I’ve just sort of assumed this has been cooking away in the background, and am thrilled to be correct. The trailer’s bringing that classic Obsidian humour, which definitely makes me more excited to jump back into the Outer Worlds.
Split Fiction
Paul: I was banging the drum about this one within the P2 team before The Game Awards, just on potential alone, and I’m so glad that the game delivered in spades. March 6 isn’t too far away either, so I’m excited to get into it ASAP.
Jess: That was one confident man, and I guess this was how I learned that they’re allowed to swear that much on the stage of TGA. To his credit, this game does look fucking amazing. I love every part of what it’s offering – two female protagonists on a writing-themed epic co-op adventure with some (in his words) “full ass dragons”?? Sign me the hell up.
Fragpunk
Paul: I’m not crazy about card-based gameplay, and I’m even less thrilled by the idea of card-based stuff permeating shooters like this. The game has a great style, and the F2P element guarantees that I’ll at least dip my toes in to check it out, but that component really hurts my interest.
Jess: Cards are really having a moment in games, which is interesting to see. Given this one’s going to be free to play I might give it a go, but I do worry that with the current state of live service games, it may not find its audience. I hope it does!
Killing Floor III
Paul: I don’t mind violence in video games, but excessive violence just for the sake of excessive violence does nothing for my interest. I’m pretty happy to never think about Killing Floor III again
Jess: I understand that the purpose of Killing Floor is to present me with grotesque enemies that I want to destroy, but there’s a part of me that found it hard to watch that trailer without just feeling a general amount of ‘yuck’. If feeling yuck and killing gross things is enjoyable for you, then this seems like it might be a good time?
As the next trailer begins, I’m still having a little cry over Amir Satvat’s speech about the layoffs in the industry and how much talent we’ve lost. As someone affected by it, to see it finally acknowledged at The Game Awards was surprisingly powerful. It’s taken them too long to acknowledge it, yes, but I don’t want that to take away from that moment.
Steel Hunters
Paul: Sure. Big mechs are cool, but I also didn’t see anything in that game that I hadn’t seen before I feel, so I was pretty happy to pass this one by.
Jess: Yeah, no, sorry Steel Hunters, I’m still crying about the industry. The game looks cool. Definitely Transformers and guns and explosions and stuff. I’ll stop crying in a minute.
Blackfrost: The Long Dark II
Paul: The Long Dark is a game that I was interested in but never played,. A bit like Slay The Spire II though, I feel like I’m going to jump in with this one straight out the gate. That or I completely isread this game and it won’t appeal, but I’ve got at least another 12 months to begin to work it out.
Jess: Once again, a sequel to a game I did not play. I do play games, I promise. There’s little to know about this one so far, but it’s got such a nice art style, and seems like it’s going to effectively convey the horror of isolation – the scariest thing of all.
Borderlands 4
Paul: I’m a big Borderlands fan, so I’m very excited by the idea of going back to the IP. Borderlands 3 was a bit of a misstep, however the core of the franchise has remained strong. The looting, shooting, and direction of the game’s humour is still rock solid, and the execution is all that needs work. Bring on Borderlands 4 next year
Jess: The beginning of the trailer had me a little concerned that Borderlands was moving away from its cel-shaded roots, but thankfully that doesn’t seem to be the case. As things become sharper and more realistic, the style does seem to be losing a bit of the edge that made it so appealing though. Borderlands has never really been my sort of thing, but the art style always drew me in – to lose the impact of that would be a shame.
Tekken 8: Clive Rosfield DLC
Paul: I’m no fighting game fan, but I am a massive Final Fantasy XVI fan. Sadly, because I couldn’t care less about Tekken, I’ll not be checking this out.
Jess: I played a bit of Tekken 8 when just before it released, and I had a fun enough time (despite really not being a fighting games person) that I’m thrilled it’s still getting attention. And hooray, Clive! The people love Final Fantasy, and I’m sure will love that there’s a little bit of it coming to Tekken.
Splitgate 2
Paul: I never tried the original Splitgate, but I know it was adored by a community of Halo fans. Splitgate 2 will probably be structured for longevity a little better than the original and so I think that’s all that it will take to go even bigger than the previous game.
Jess: Was Splitgate 1 successful? Did people play it? The concept is very cool, but I feel like I stopped hearing about it not long after it released. I guess the answer is yes, because here we are with a second one. Good for you, PvP Portal.
MechaBreak
Paul: Not for me. There are legions that will be in love with MechaBreak, but I couldn’t mustre the interest. Flashy trailer though
Jess: So many chaotic VFX.
Virtua Fighter
Paul: I’ve said that I don’t like fighters enough, but I really don’t like fighters – so for as cool as it might be that Virtua Fighter is returning, I wasn’t at all fussed. Cool that RGG Studio is on the case though
Jess: Big day for fighting games! Though I feel like these awards shows always are when it comes to announcements. Another cool presentation that said very little about the game, but I’m sure will get the hype going.
Project Century
Paul: More RGG work! I can’t believe how efficient this team is. While I’m sure that this one will somehow end up being a Yakuza game of sort sort, its still insane that the team can churn games like it is. That’s Project Centure, Virtua Fighter, and Pirate Yakuza, all being spun simultaneously. That is crazy impressive!
Jess: Wow those were some comprehensive punches to the face there. At some point he also used a blade that came from literally nowhere to go through the middle of a guy? Good for him. This looks like a non-ridiculous Yakuza. But if you take the ridiculousness away, is there still enough charm there? Probably – this team definitely knows what they’re doing. But it will be interesting to see.
Turok: Origins
Paul: I can’t believe that Turok is back, but I’m also not sure how many people really care about it anymore. The recent remasters made it feel like a return was imminent, but I’m also not too sure that the demand was there for those either. Would happily be proven wrong though, and I hope that it is brilliant, because dinosaur hunting is great!
Jess: I feel about Turok the same way I have felt since I first saw it launched on the Nintendo 64 back in 1997 – why can’t we just be friends with the mutant dinosaurs?! Alas, that is not the Turok way, but this new entry to the series does look like they are graphically achieving what I’m sure they dreamed of back in the 90s.
Helldivers 2
Paul: I’m so stoked that the Helldivers hype train keeps on keeping on. It has been quite a few months since I jumped into the game, but I’m really eager to go back. This is as good of a reason as any to dive in once again.
Jess: I don’t think anyone could have predicted just how passionately everyone would rally around Helldivers 2 this year, but the news of this major update is going to come as music to the ears of many. Despite some weird choices around the need for a PSN account on the PC version, things seem to be back on track with a walk back of that decision from Sony and clear signs that the devs are ready to provide players with a whole lot more content.
Warframe 1999
Paul: I don’t really know much about Warframe, but I also don’t have the time now to jump in and find out.
Jess: Look, she’s right – I don’t really know what Warframe is, but this trailer made me wish I’d paid more attention in the past. It managed to evoke some weird memories of Y2K, too, so – I’ll be doing a bit of a deep dive into Warframe when this awards show is done.
Palworld: Feybreak
Paul: This game keeps on keeping on. I guess if a Nintendo case is coming up then you probably want to extract as much money as you can before you need to hand a bunch of it over. Maybe I’ll check out Palworld at some point, but to be honest, I’m just not in that much of a hurry to learn about the game.
Jess: I’m shook to my core that Palworld still persists and hasn’t been wiped off the face of the earth by Nintendo or Pokemon by now. But here we are. I still maintain that I have never once in my life felt the urge to shoot a Pokemon with a gun, so despite how kinda cool parts of Palworld actually look, I don’t think this DLC is likely to be the thing that pulls me in.
Wuthering Waves
Paul: Where did this game even come from? I’d never heard of it and then it was suddenly in GOTY contention and the weebs were gathering around it like mad. I still don’t know much about it, but I’m in no hurry to educate myself. There’s enough games like this as it is.
Jess: We were due for an appearance from a game like this. It looks much like many other Japanese action games, but having an appealing visual style is a big part of their whole deal, so every time I see one, I do feel like maybe I’m missing out by being generally disenchanted by the whole genre.
Onimusha: Way Of The Sword
Paul: Holy shit, Capcom is cooking with Onimusha. There was the remaster many years ago, but I had no expectation after a couple of years of silence that we were going to be getting a new entry though. This looked epic, so I’m keen to see more.
Jess: Onimusha, it’s been a hot minute! Last time one of these games came out I was far too afraid of anything even vaguely scary to even consider checking this out. But now I am brave, and Capcom’s been pumping out some good stuff, so I’ll watch the development of this dark fantasy a little more closely.
The First Berserker: Khazan
Paul: I’ve been on the fence about this one because it is targeted heavily at the Soulsborne fan, something that I’m not, but there’s also something that really attracts me to the game, and it’s not just the soothing sounds of Ben Starr’s voice. I’ll keep watching this one closely and we’ll see how it shapes up at launch time.
Jess: Okay but… why the Russos? Anyway, The First Berserker is looking dark as hell, and if the actual gameplay is anything like what the trailer presents, I’m sure it’ll have a lot to offer fans of hardcore action games. But until we see some actual gameplay, it’s hard to really know.
Dungeon Fighter: Arad
Paul: This game gives off more vibes to me that click with me. The question is always, will I have time for a game of this presumed size, and I won’t know that answer until its upon us, but this is a promising first impression. Keen to learn more.
Jess: Well I like this song choice. It turns out games just need to have pop rock songs over their trailers and I’m 1000% more interested, genre be damned. There’s a lot going on with this game – sky whales, big combos, a cool cast of characters, a weird void storm. I have a lot of questions, but I’m kind of willing to stick around to hear the answers.
Dying Light: The Beast
Paul: Dying Light makes sport of whipping my ass. Like I enjoy the games, but it’s a tough, gritty experience that I need to be in the right headspace to be able to play them. The Beast also looks really cool, so I might look into it when it launches.
Jess: Okay I have never played Dying Light, and I don’t know who this Agent Smith/Albert Wesker style antagonist is, but I’m sort of obsessed with the drama in his tone. Are we on his side now? Because I’m kind of ready to be on his side.
Hunt Showdown - Post Malone’s Murder Circus
Paul: Hunt Showdown I already didn’t have any interest in, and now they’re tossing in Post Alone because… I dunno? Pass
Jess: What a collection of words. I didn’t even know that there was a game called ‘Hunt Showdown’, but here we are, and here Post Malone is, and in his defense, if someone asked me if I wanted a fictional ‘murder circus’ created in my name, I’m pretty sure I would also say yes.
Squid Game: Unleashed
Paul: I’ve never actually watched Squid Game, and so a Netflix mobile title based on the series doesn’t much interest me. I began to glaze over while this one played out.
Jess: Every single time I see some kind of tie-in media for Squid Game, I really wonder if anyone actually watched Squid Game, and if yes, how it was possible to come away from it thinking “I should buy merchandise to celebrate this violent murder spree driven by capitalism”, or “yes, I would like to participate in said violent capitalism murder spree”. Sure, it’s a cool concept, but it’s also extremely depressing, and maybe we’re all missing the point just a little bit?
Stage Fright
Paul: I back the Overcooked team in almost no mater what they do. I wasn’t quite expecting what we ultimately got with Stage Fright, but I’m pretty happy to be surprised in this case, because the game looks to be pretty cool!
Jess: So, okay, that tiny fight about Overcooked was the most accurate depiction of what life in my household looks like. And while I’m sad they didn’t just announce another Overcooked game, I have no doubt that Stage Fright is also going to be something special – it looks super cute, and Ghost Town are masters of co-op gameplay, how could it go wrong?
Game Of Thrones: Kingsroad
Paul: I love Game Of Thrones but despite that fact, this feels way too late for it to capture the audience that it needs to. I know House Of The Dragon is relevant now, but I feel like the market for something set in the Game Of Thrones timeline, crossing over with Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, and more has moved on? Keen to check it out, and I hope I’m wrong.
Jess: Despite not being a fan of Game of Thrones, I find it impossible not to rock out when I hear that soundtrack. It gets me every time. Again, it isn’t super clear what kind of game this one is going to be (beyond “action-adventure”), and with an IP like GoT it could go in so many different directions. But how fun that they’re still pumping out new games.
Monster Hunter Now
Paul: I adore Monster Hunter Now, and while this trailer didn’t mean much to me because I had already jumped into Season 4 on Thursday, it was still great to see the game getting some extra attention, not to mention the redeemable code which, yes, I of course redeemed.
Jess: I know this game has a passionate fanbase, so, like I have said many times during this showcase, I’m sure there will be many people who will be excited by this update. One day I’ll get into Monster Hunter, but it probably won’t be through the mobile game. Good to keep the hype going ahead of the Monster Hunter Wilds release, though!
Double Dragon: Revive
Paul: I’m really tiring of the fighting games now. Yayyyyyy, Double Dragon is here…
Jess: Again with the fighting games! I’m running out of things to say, and I didn’t even have that many to begin with! Double Dragon feels like a name I haven’t heard in a while, so it’s nice to see it get some love.
Solo Leveling: Arise
Paul: It says there’s a new episode coming soon, but I had no idea that Solo Leveling even existed. This is another one of those games that whilst it being in my orbit, doesn’t possess enough wow factor to properly capture my interest.
Jess: If I dip my toe into the world of Solo Levelling, I feel like I’ll just fall into a whole ocean of obsession and never surface. So I steer clear for my own health, as I do many other things like it. Looks like great fun, though!
Screamer
Paul: Anime-infused high speed racing? I’ll say that it’s not the kind of thing I’d ever been considering as a pairing, largely because I’m neither a fan of racing games, nor much anime, but who knows, stranger things have come together successfully.
Jess: It’s a… car game, I guess? Cool aesthetics for the trailer, but how close to the actual visual style of the game is impossible to say. Just tell me what you are, game trailers!! Just give me anything!!
The Last Of Us Part II Remastered
Paul: The real Naughty Dog magic was still to come, but it was only a matter of time before TLOU Part II was going to come to PC. Hopefully this one launches in a better state than Part I did.
Jess: I mean, yeah. This is not a shock. The little banter between the Dinas as they presented the next award was very cute though.
Den Of Wolves
Paul: This game gives off all of the right vibes to me, and yet, I can’t point to a specific component that is really grabbing me. Den Of Wolves presents like a game that is much greater perhaps than the sum of its parts. I’ll wait and see how it shapes up upon the games’ final release, but I’m liking what they’re putting down
Jess: The words ‘techno-thriller co-op heist’ are so exciting to me, and the pedigree of those behind this game is undeniable, so I have to imagine Den of Wolves is going to be a fun time if it’s your type of thing. When is it coming though? That was a cheeky way for the trailer to be incredibly vague about its early access release.
Zenless Zone Zero, Honkai Starrail
Paul: Geoff, I know you like to take your bag from Mihoyo, but if you could find those funds somewhere else, that would be great. I’m sick to death of seeing their games. Somehow we didn’t get Genshin too.
Jess: I know people go wild for both of these games, but without the logo telling which is which, I have to admit that I can’t tell them apart. They both look absurdly cool, and the style definitely works for them, it’s just that every time I see them at one of these showcases, I never quite learn anything about the types of games they actually are. What are they, besides very pretty?
Sonic Racing: Crossworlds
Paul: Geoff was weirdly cagey about this one which makes me a bit suspicious, but Sonic All-Stars racing was a genuinely cool racing game akin to Mario Kart, and I’d like to see this game improve on what didn’t work about the glast game. It could be a gem.
Jess: Get it, Shadow. You look great in that speedster.
Mafia: The Old Country
Paul: I’ve not yet played a Mafia game, despite having many moments where I’d wanted to pick up a game in the IP, it had simply not transpired up until this point. Whether it’s The Old Country or one of the older titles, I’ll need to rectify this soon. The new game does look pretty sweet though!
Jess: Okay, I want to know more. I haven’t traditionally been a Mafia fan, but after learning a bit more about the most recent entry, I’ve been thinking about going back and doing a playthrough. Maybe it’s perfect timing in preparation for The Old Country.
Infinity Nikki
Paul: Another one of those F2P games that pops up out of th woodwork, is downloaded by millions and then starts to pop up everywhere. I’m not sure what it is about Infinity Nikki because I wasn’t overly wowed by this trailer. I don’t think I’ll be a part of the 20+ million players anytime soon. The game does look pretty gorgeous though.
Jess: Everyone across all my feeds is talking about how good Infinity Nikki is. I haven’t dabbled in the series since Love Nikki back in 2017, but boy did I dabble. I’m going to install this over the Christmas break and lose my whole life to it, I can just see it now.
Dispatch
Paul: The tone the feel, the Telltale inspired gameplay of Dispatch spoke to me so strongly throughout this trailer. In lieu of still waiting for Telltale to also deliver The Wolf Among Us 2, this will fill the void nicely. Bring it on.
Jess: This is so extremely my shit. I have known these characters for two seconds and I love every single one of them. I love superheroes so much, I love this theme so much, I just. This is so exciting to me. Who is the babe that sort of looks like Karlach? Hell goddamn yes. I want to know everything about this game right now.
Okami Sequel
Paul: Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected Okami to return, and yet, Capcom, not satisfied with reviving Onimusha, are also bringing back Hideki Kamiya and Okami! I’ve been looking for an opportunity to go back to the original, and maybe even Okamiden for that matter, but this gets me going back to the game with confidence and energy in my heart.
Jess: I’m sorry, WHAT?! Okay, this is amazing news. Okami is a beautiful game, one of my favourites from the Wii/PS2 era, I can’t believe we’re going to get a sequel after all this time. Geoff Keighley looks like he’s about to cry, and honestly, same?
Crimson Desert
Paul: I long thought that this game was an MMO and so I was pretty hesitant, but I’ve since learned that there’s multiplayer but not to the MMO scale. Now I’m more interested, and today’s trailer did much to excite me about this games’ future. Let me at those dragons!
Jess: Dragons! Smooth combat and combos! Looks like it’s going to be one hell of an epic fantasy RPG. At this point of the ceremony, you can tell I am fatigued, and I have run out of anything to say beyond “DRAGONS COOL”.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
Paul: So the name had been floating around for a little while now, but I don’t know if it had ever been connected specifically to Naughty Dog. The week leading up to TGA some Naughty Dog rumblings started to fire up, and I was ready to believe. Seeing Intergalactic in action leaves me feeling supremely confident in a team who has already given me no reason to doubt them, ever. The Porsche and Adidas brandings were interesting in the sense that it shows the level that the Dogs have now ascended to that they can seemingly pull anyone. We probably won’t get this until 2026, but I’m hyped and ready.
Jess: Well, okay, so this is obviously the heavy hitter of the night. Everything Naughty Dog does is incredible, and I refuse to believe this is going to be any different. Now they’re going into space?! What can’t they do?! I know I’ve been shitting on a lot of trailers tonight for telling me almost nothing about the gameplay of their games, but apparently all that’s going out the window. I have no idea what the gameplay of Intergalactic is going to be like (I have to guess some kind of action-adventure?), but I know there isn’t a world in which I don’t love it.
The Award Winners
Paul: For the most part, this played out a bit as expected. I wasn’t nearly as confident that Asto Bot was going to get the job done for GOTY, but I was certainly excited once I learned that it won. Honestly, anything but Shadow Of The Erdtree (and Black Myth because its quality wasn’t up to par, and was undeserving of making the Top 6). Some beautiful acceptance speeches largely across the board, with specific shoutouts to Team Asobi and their GOTY acceptance speech, and Amir Satvat as the Game Changer. Geoff’s team didn’t rush anyone on or off the stage either which was a nice plus.
Jess: As is the case every year, there were some hits and some misses. For the most part, I didn’t really agree with the games that made a lot of the shortlists, so I wasn’t holding out a lot of hope for the winners aligning with my personal opinions either. There were some really stacked categories that aren’t usually that stacked – Best Family Game could have easily gone to any of the nominees, for example, as could Best Action Adventure (I know the game’s amazing, but I feel like that one maybe shouldn’t have been Astro Bot’s). I’m more than happy with the Game of the Year award winner though, and I guess that’s the one that matters most. Hell yeah Astro Bot, you get it little guy. Super well deserved win by Team Asobi.
The Performances and Guests
Paul: The way that Troy Baker and Todd Howard introduced Harrison Ford was great, but he did look out of his element a bit, and seems to be labouring a bit these days – didn’t impact his sense of humour though! Got a real laugh out of Aaron (Evan) Paul and Laura Bailey, while the performances were mixed for me. The Arcane tribute was absolutely sensational, as was the Game Awards orchestra who delivers every time. I’m no Snoop Dogg fan so that gave me a few mins to come up for oxygen, but given Geoff was rolling out Linkin Park with both the intro music and the outro music, I was a bit disappointed he couldn’t lure them out for the big night.
Jess: I mean, Harrison Ford was struggling a little there during his appearance, but it was still so great to see him. The Dina banter between Shannon Woodward and Isabela Merced was adorable, as was the bit between Laura Bailey and Aaron Paul. That Arcane tribute was emotional as hell, and Snoop Dogg’s performance was fun – clearly everyone in the room agreed, they all seemed to be having a great time. It was a solid offering of performances this year.
Final Thoughts
Paul: From the winners to the performances, guests, and of course the game reveals, I think Feoff absolutely nailed it this year. The feedback around not properly acknowledging the troubles of the industry have also been heard and the way he paid respect to those struggling right now, along with the celebration of those who are trying to do something about fixing things was excellent. I think as a whole package, that this is the best one yet, although Geoff, next year we can probably do with less of the anime slop titles that are all very much starting to blend together.
Jess: Look, I was sort of expecting very little from this year’s Game Awards. I definitely didn’t expect them to acknowledge the industry-wide layoffs at all, so it was genuinely shocking that they honoured Amir Satvat, and that they made such a statement on the state of things. They should have done it years ago, but it was still emotional to see it happen. In terms of the awards themselves – eh, sure. The nominees did feel like they were all celebrating each other, and this time it did feel like a proper acknowledgement of the teams that work together to create the games we love. There were some big game announcements, and a lot that I could have done without, but for the most part the night came together and offered a little bit of all the things it’s supposed to. Not a terrible way to wrap up the year in gaming, even if – as is always the way – some didn’t receive the recognition they deserved.
