Black Myth: Wukong – an unexpected winner (Game Science)
Despite having the lowest Metacritic score of any of the nominees it’s Black Myth: Wukong which has won out against Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Helldivers 2.
As the year comes to a close, we begin to enter awards season and one of the first big events, and certainly the longest running, is the Golden Joystick Awards. This year’s the 42nd incarnation of one of the few award ceremonies that is voted on almost solely by the general public.
That’s thrown up an unexpected winner this year, with Black Myth: Wukong being named Ultimate Game of the Year, despite having the lowest Metacritic score of all 12 nominees, at just 81. That means it beat other much more highly rated titles, such as Astro Bot, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and Animal Well.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is another hot contender but that did at least walk away with four separate awards, for Best Storytelling, Best Soundtrack, Best Supporting Performer (Briana White as Aerith), and Best Lead Performer (Cody Christian as Cloud).
Helldivers 2 also won four awards, for Best Multiplayer Game, Best Game Trailer, Console Game of the Year, and the Critics’ Choice Award.
Over 12 million public votes were apparently involved, across 21 different categories, with only three decided by critics: Critics’ Choice, Breakthrough Award, and Streamers’ Choice.
Astro Bot won two separate awards, for Best Audio Design and Studio of the year for Team ASOBI. Balatro also got the double, with Best Indie Game and Breakthrough Award.
The most wanted game of the year, for 2025, was, unsurprisingly GTA 6, which seems almost certain to win the same accolade at every other award ceremony this season
The awards were hosted in London by voice actor Ben Starr, best known as Clive in Final Fantasy 16. The nominations involved over 125 games, developers, formats, and TV shows across 21 categories.
Did you vote? (Golden Joysticks)
Golden Joysticks 2024 award winners
• Best Storytelling – Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
• Best Visual Design – Black Myth: Wukong
• Best Multiplayer Game – Helldivers 2
• Best Audio Design – Astro Bot
• Best Game Expansion – Elden Ring Shadow Of The Erdtree
• Best Indie Game Self Published – Another Crab’s Treasure
• Best Indie Game – Balatro
• Studio of the Year – Team ASOBI
• Best Soundtrack – Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
• Best Game Trailer – Helldivers 2
• Best Early Access Game – Lethal Company
• Still Playing – Mobile – Honkai: Star Rail
• Still Playing – Consoles & PC – Minecraft
• Streamers’ Choice Award – Chained Together
• Breakthrough Award – Balatro
• Best Gaming Hardware – Steam Deck OLED
• Best Game Adaptation – Fallout
• Best Supporting Performer – Briana White
• Best Lead Performer – Cody Christian
• PC Game of the Year – Satisfactory
• Console Game of the Year – Helldivers 2
• Critics’ Choice Award – Helldivers 2
• Most Wanted Game – Grand Theft Auto 6
• Ultimate Game of the Year – Black Myth: Wukong
Not a surprise winner (Golden Joysticks)
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