Bat Dad Is Best Dad Award!
Metaphor: ReFantazio was easily the best RPG this year. No doubt in my mind. It had a fresh new setting, took the long and sometimes stale Persona gameplay loop and streamlined it, and combined a job system with the Press Turn system to make for amazing top-tier turn-based combat. It had everything, including the best character to grace a game in a long time. Heismay is the best dad character we may ever see in a video game, and damn did his voice actor knock it out of the park. It also helps that he is an adorable bat person. Look at those big eyes! Such a great game with great characters. Please give us more Atlus!
Color Your Night Award
In any other year, you would think a Persona game would be Atlus’ big game release, but unfortunately, Persona 3 Reload was overshadowed by its counterpart Metaphor. But that’s okay because Persona 3 Reload was an amazing remake of an already amazing game. And damn was its soundtrack straight fire. I still hum “Color Your Night” whenever the mood takes me. A great way to bring a classic to the modern age. Its DLC, however…
The Answer Still Sucks Award
Yeah, The Answer still sucks. I was hoping for some kind of miracle with this, especially since Reload fixes many of the issues in the original version of Persona 3. Unfortunately, Episode Aigis did not do enough to fix the core issues with The Answer, leaving it a massive stain on the story and gameplay of Persona 3.
Still Wish I Had Hair Like That Award
I said this three years ago, and I will say it again. Bald is beautiful, but that Nahobino hair is something else. He was already pretty, and now he is pretty in 4k and 60 FPS. They made him more pretty! I didn’t think that was possible. I am still jealous three years later. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance will get lost in the shuffle of all the fantastic games that Atlus released in 2024, but make no mistake: it is great in its own right, and everyone should check it out now that it is no longer a Switch exclusive.
Can Vanillaware Make Art For Every Game Award
Unicorn Overlord may also get lost in the amount of great RPGs that came out this year, but do not be fooled: it’s maybe the best of the bunch. It’s scary how addicting it was to play this game and how disappointed I was when it ended. The gameplay was so good, that even with its mediocre story, it is still the 2024 game I want DLC or a sequel (or anything!) for the most! Just give me more! Oh, and the art style is still top-tier Vanillaware. <3 Amalia!
They Finally Made A SaGa Game For Non-SaGa Fan Award
If you have never played a SaGa game, go play Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. If you have played a SaGa game and hated it with all your soul, go play it anyway. Someone finally understood the assignment of how to make a SaGa game that is both obscure and weird, while being wildly fun to play. It is an incredible example of taking an old-school, hard-to-play and understand game from the SNES and finally expressing how it was supposed to have come off 30-something years ago.
The Dudbear Award
Dub Dubba! Visions of Mana Dagu. Duba Dab Visions of Mana Dubababa! Visions of Mana Dud Gak, Visions of Mana Dagubabu! Duba Dababa Babadu Visions of Mana! Dubab! Duguda Dubba!
Dudbear translation: Hello friend! Visions of Mana is beautiful. You should play Visions of Mana a lot! Visions of Mana is not displeasurable, Visions of Mana is delightful! Please, you should buy Visions of Mana! Thanks! See you later, friend!
Stay Away Rean Schwarzer Award
After many years of the Go Away Rean Schwarzer awards, it is my honor to finally retire it and introduce this brand new award, the Stay Away Rean Schwarzer Award! And congrats to this year’s winner, Rean Schwarzer; please stay away and never return. Van is better than you, so stay away… forever!
