Group Category #1 - Most Anticipated Games of 2025
Scott:
Honorable Mention: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (i worry it gets pushed)
3. Civ 7
2. Avowed
1. The Outer Worlds 2
Jon:
Honorable Mention: Grand Theft Auto VI - Which I don't think will come out in 2025
3. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
2. DOOM the Dark Ages
1. Civilization VII
Beau:
3. Valheim 1.0 Launch
2. Falling Frontier
1. Dune: Awakening
Scott's Game of the Year Award Categories!
The Indie Games in Early Access that I am REALLY stoked about for release next year, but am playing now.
Windblown
Shapez 2
Timberborn
Mutant Football League 2
Quest Master
Dungeon Clawler
Tape to Tape
Rotwood
Top SIX Indie Games that are OUT in 2024 in 1.0 or more
BORE Blasters
Gravity Circuit
Loddlenaught
XenoTilt
Wild Bastards
Balatro
BEST CHORE CORE of 2024
Loddlenaut
Games that scared me the most / or made me yell alot (that I played anyway)
Silent Hill 2 remake
Mouthwashing
Think I thought you would not like but ended up loving
Metaphor Refantazio
Game I thought I would be all into and was not.
Dragon Age TVG
Percentage of time I used my various game libraries like an arcade this year?
82%
Big Games from this year I expect to play and enjoy in 2025
The Great Circle
AstroBot
Group Category #2 - Best 2024 Gaming Moments (1-5 news stories, fights, experiences, etc)
Scott:
5. My daughter getting her 5 year old creating whole cities in Minecraft (Ninecraft as he calls it.)
4. How awesome a clawmachine mechanic works in a roguelike
3. Having Secret Level end up being EVERYTHING I was hoping for and more.
2. Finding out I actually like tanking in Raid and was afraid of it for no reason.
1. Just being buried in incredible indie content. Golden age right now."
Jon:
Honorable Mention: The Gates of the Golden City (Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail)
5. Dropping for Democracy! (Helldivers 2)
4. The next Like a Dragon game will be a pirate game starring Majima (Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii)
3. The King's Funeral (Metaphor: ReFantzio)
2. All of the Aracadion (Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail)
1. The boss battle with Messmer (Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree)
Beau:
6. Netfrying the FUCK outta chooms in Phantom Liberty"
5. Mr. Blue Eyes conspiracy rabbit hole (Cyberpunk 2077)
4. Becoming the Batman
3. Raiding accomplishments in SoD and TWW
2. Baldur's Gate 3 multiplayer mayhem
1. All the derping in Helldeivers 2, especially Crofton's elite jetpack skills
Jon's Game of the Year Award Categories!
Best "I Learned" Moments of 2024
3. How to play & finish a Persona-like game
2. How to finally beat Mega Man X3
1. I finally learned something else about Warhammer 40k
Best Non-Game 2024 Media I Consumed
Honorable Mention: The Batman
Movie: Transformers One
TV: The Penguin
Comics: Ultimate Spider-Man & Transformers (TIE)
The Best Characters of 2024
5. Emmrich Volkarin (Dragon Age: The Veilguard)
4. Yutaka Yamai (Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth)
3. Lieutenant Titus (Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2)
2. Otis (Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail)
1. Heismay (Metaphor: ReFantazio)
The Stuff I Didn't Play in 2024, but Should Have (Also known as the Only on PS5 Award)
Honorable Mentions: Stellar Blade, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Black Myth Wukong, Indiana Jones & the Great Circle
5. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
4. Unicorn Overlord
3. Silent Hill 2 Remake
2. Astro Bot
1. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth"
My Favorite Indie Games of 2024
5. Duck Detective: The Secret Salami
4. Mouthwashing
3. Tactical Breach Wizards
2. Animal Well
1. Balatro"
Best Demo or Early Access of 2024
Path of Exile 2
Group Category #3 - Best Non-2024 Games of 2024
Scott:
5: Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap for GBA
4. Mario Bros 3
3. Unreal 99 and 04
2. NFL Blitz 2000 PS1
1. Wingman/Ace Combat 7
Jon:
4. Baldur's Gate 3
3. Vampire Survivors
2. Mega Man X Legacy Collection
1. Path of Exile
Beau:
4. Griftlands
3. Baldur's Gate 3
2. Overwatch 2
1. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Beau's Game of the Year Award Categories!
Best Shoot-Things-ASAP Awards
Tie: RoboQuest and Mullet Madjack
Best I'll-Wait-for-1.0 Awards
Enshrouded
Hades 2
Best I had a hard time waiting for 1.0
Path of Exile 2
Top Bought-And-Put-On-The-120+-Game-To-Do-List-And-Didn't-Play Games for 2024
Hi-Fi Rush
Darkest Dungeon 2
Dave the Diver
Most listened to Game Soundtrack songs on YouTube
3. "I really want to stay at your house" by Rosa Walton (Cyberpunk 2077)
2. "Raphael's Final Act" by Borislav Slavov (Baldur's Gate 3)
1. "Never Fade Away" by P. T. Adamczyk & Olga Jankowska (SAMURAI Cover)
The CORE Crew's Top Expansion/DLC of the Year! (1-5 Expansion/DLC's)
Scott
2. Sonic X Shadow Generations
1. War Within"
Jon
5. Sonic X Shadow Generations
4. Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
3. World of Warcraft: The War Within
2. Vampire Survivors: Ode to Castlevania
1. Elden Ring: Shadows of the Erdtree"
Beau
4. WoW War Within
3. WoW Classic: SoD
2. Elden Ring: Shadows of the Erdtree
1. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty"
The CORE Crew's Top 5 Games of the Year!
SCOTT
5. Warhammer 40k Space Marine 2
4. Dungeon Clawler
3. Mouthwashing
2. Shapez 2 (in ea but still counts)
1. Metaphor: ReFantazio
HM. Liddlenaught
JON
5. Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2
4. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
3. Helldivers 2
2. Wild Bastards
1. Metaphor: ReFantazio
BEAU
5. <none>
4. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
3. Ravenswatch
2. Helldivers 2
1. Batman: Arkham Shadow
CORE's 2024 (Collective) GAME OF THE YEAR:
Metaphor: ReFantazio