LocalThunk, the developer behind Balatro, determined to begin off this new yr by calling out all his 2024 highlights, with the largest award of all going to Billy Basso for his fantastic pixel artwork metroidvania Animal Properly.
“My very prestigious Golden Thunk award for Recreation of the Yr 2024 goes to Animal Properly,” LocalThunk says in an X put up. “Animal Properly was an engrossing expertise. Dripping with model secrets and techniques, and making me really feel like an imposter on this trade as a dev, Billy Basso created a real masterpiece.” Basso replied to this with an award of his personal for LocalThunk: “Nicest Most Humble Dev of the Yr.” Everybody wins if you’re good.
After releasing mid-last yr, Animal Properly quickly grew to become probably the most acclaimed metroidvania since Hole Knight. It was one of many best-reviewed video games on Steam final yr, sitting at a powerful and “overwhelmingly constructive” 96% ranking with over 17,000 opinions. I performed a bit myself final yr, and whereas I beloved all of the visuals, I wasn’t solely satisfied it was on Hole Knight’s stage and even one of the best metroidvania I performed in 2024—that award has to go to Ultros. Sorry!
The runners-up for the Golden Thunk award included Mouthwashing, Ballionaire, Nova Drift, Arco, and Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, which some gamers accused of being a Balatro clone. “Folks mistakenly wrote this off as a Balatro clone, however this was introduced earlier than my sport ever was,” LocalThunk says. “A fantastically synergistic and strategic deckbuilder, I’ve sunk dozens of hours into.”
My favorite on this record might be Mouthwashing. I used to be shocked by how a lot I loved this sport, but it surely’s been some time since I performed such a concise horror sport. Unsuitable Organ managed to flesh out a world and 5 characters in lower than three hours, which is extremely spectacular and blew LocalThunk away.
“I did not even know this was a horror sport once I began taking part in it at 11pm one fateful night time,” LocalThunk says. “I used to be hooked immediately, and each the world it created and the poignant message woven into the sport follow me vividly months later.”
Final yr was an ideal one for indie video games, however in any case is alleged and carried out, we will not neglect to incorporate Balatro in these celebrations. The poker roguelike that got here out of nowhere did not simply handle to hook many of the PC Gamer staff, snagging our 2024 Recreation of the Yr award, however has managed over 90,000 constructive opinions on Steam. So 2024 was a fairly profitable yr for LocalThunk as nicely.
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