The 2024 1UP Vault Awards

The Best of the Best

Welcome to the 2024 1UP Vault Awards. A note before we get started: I would love to pull a Geoff and have awards that take as many games into account, but I can only go by the games I’ve played. Due to this, games that deserve awards, such as Metaphor: ReFantazio, Black Myth Wukong, and more, won’t be a part of this list. So with that, let’s see the best of the best from what I’ve played in 2024.

NOTE - Some Spoilers Ahead

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Best World and Immersion

Star Wars Outlaws

Runner Up - Dungeons of Hinterberg

The world of Star Wars Outlaws put me in the underworld of the galaxy far, far away, and I loved every second of it. Hopping from planet to planet, each with a different vibe and its own set of laws and syndicate control is so well done that I’m begging to revisit this concept in a potential sequel. What makes this world impressive is that while it is Star Wars, it still feels new, even with the familiarity.

Best Emotional Moment

Kalunga reveals the truth / Tales of Kenzera: Zau

Runner Up - Davrin and Assan’s death / Dragon Age: The Veilguard

In Tales of Kenzera: Zau, the titular shaman is looking to resurrect his father from death and deals with the god of death, Kalunga, to make this happen. After you’ve collected the three spirits and gone through a journey with Kalunga as a motivational speaker and adviser, he reveals the truth - he is Zau’s father. That leads to the final boss, as you must defeat him to put his soul at ease. It’s a surprising revelation and is the final layer of Zau’s journey to overcome grief.

Best Journey

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Runner Up - Dragon Age: The Veilguard

While Dragon Age: The Veilguard came extremely close to winning this, it was Zelda’s first game as the playable protagonist that ended up as my favorite overall journey I went on. The Zelda franchise has the benefit of already having a great world and some fantastic lore to make each game memorable. However, I didn’t realize how much I missed the old series formula. I love the recent open-world formula the series has taken. However, going through the typical dungeons and helping each race in Hyrule, centering on a specific character each time, felt like the nostalgia trip I needed.

Best Characters

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Runner Up - TIE / The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

We have a lot of outstanding character ensembles in gaming for 2024, but for me, nothing touched the Dragon Age cast. This was one of the first times in a while that I felt invested in every supporting character in the story. There are so many of them I know I won’t forget, from Emmerich and his journey questioning death, Neve’s Batman-like story, Taash’s search for identity, Bellara’s struggle to deal with her people’s past, Harding learning to deal with a mysterious new power, Davrin’s quest to save the griffons, Lucanis’ struggle with the demon inside him and his family, and so much more. I can’t wait to see what BioWare cooks up for the next Mass Effect.

Best Moment of the Year

The Final Act / Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Runner Up - Repairing Astro / Astro Bot

Every decision leads up to this in Dragon Age, as you launch a full-scale assault to take down the Elgar'nan and his archdemon dragon. For those familiar with the iconic Mass Effect 2 “Suicide Mission” final act, this is what this moment was like. Luckily, I had my characters ready and picked the right people for specific jobs. That being said, the entire way and final battle against the seemingly unstoppable self-declared elven god is a rush that left me satisfied as the credits rolled.

Best Combat

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Runner Up - Dragon Age: The Veilguard

I don’t think I’ve seen a game capture what real sword-on-sword combat really feels like until I played Hellblade II. Every encounter, even with “normal” enemies, feels like a battle to the death. Add in the audio of the war drums that pick up with every slash and struggle, and you will get one of the best combat designs in a video game.

Best Graphics and Presentation

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Runner Up - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Hellblade II is a mostly narrative-driven game, so the developers could really push the graphics of the world around you. The world looked scary and realistic at times, and I stopped and looked around to take it all in. The animations on the characters only add to the presentation, and it’s like I’m playing in a movie. While it seems we are reaching graphical fidelity ceilings, this game makes you wonder if that’s not the case.

Best Audio Design

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Runner Up - Astro Bot

Yep, we are still praising Hellblade II. Playing this game with headphones on was a revelation, and now I try to play my games with some on. The voices in Senua’s head are an audio design masterpiece, as they make it feel like they are in yours. Add in the amazing score as you engage in hard-fought combat, with war drums picking up with every sword swing, and you get an audio experience that won’t soon be challenged.

Best Hero

Kay Vess / Star Wars Outlaws

Runner Up - Darston / The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

The developers could’ve easily made Kay a copycat of Han Solo, but luckily, they gave us a character that has naivety yet understands the underworld she has to deal with. Kay works because she’s not stupid and knows the type of people she’s dealing with, yet still looks to do the right thing - even as she rolls her eyes and finds the rebellion annoying. There’s a lot of talk about how much Star Wars works since Disney got a hold of it, and I can say Kay is my favorite part of the franchise's new era. I hope we see her and her companion Nix sooner rather than later.

Best Villian

Emmerich Voss / Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Runner Up - Solas / Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle nails the source material so well that you would think Spielberg worked on it. One of its best parts is the main antagonist Emmerich Voss, an incredibly punchable villain who works for the Nazis but seems to have more extensive plans that go beyond the expected fascist goals. Voss is confident and knows how to pull strings with each person he talks to, almost like a great politician who knows retail politics. The best thing about him is he pulls off some comedic moments that the franchise is known for while still coming off menacing. Without a doubt, the best villain in gaming for 2024.

Best Male Performance

Troy Baker / Indiana Jones / Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Runner Up - Marios Gavrilis / Emmerich Voss / Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Troy Baker has become gaming’s most sought-after male actor, and for good reason. He does a fantastic job with Indiana Jones; in fact, it's such a good job that you have to double-take and remind yourself it’s not Harrison Ford in the booth. It’s also his line delivery, which has the same tone and pacing Ford gives in the movies. He’s comedic and sarcastic yet knows how to deal with more emotional moments in the story.

Best Female Performance

Britt Baron / Tifa Lockhart / Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Runner Up - Melina Juergens / Senua / Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Tifa is already one of the most iconic female characters in gaming history, and Britt’s performance in Final Fantasy VII Remake was solid; but in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, not only do we see her character arc expanded on, but Britt pulls it off with one heck of a performance. Tifa is the glue to the story, as she struggles to deal with Cloud’s memory loss issues as she starts to deal with her traumatic past during the Nibelheim incident. Britt is putting her all into this performance, with her moments only improving as the story moves—huge props to her for taking an already well-known character and adding so much more.

Best Music, Soundtrack, and Score

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Runner Up - Astro Bot

I can’t tell you how much this soundtrack nails what makes Final Fantasy VII’s legendary soundtrack so good. It takes one of the best soundtracks of all time and modernizes it while still keeping it the way you grew up with it. From the music as you explore the world to the battle theme and the iconic themes of Aerith and Sephiroth, you have one of the most playable soundtracks in all of gaming history. The score and music fit every moment just right. Of course, nothing beats fighting Sephiroth and the legendary “One Winged Angel” playing. Once again, the franchise adds another memorable soundtrack to its already iconic musical history.

Best Direction

Nicholas Doucet / Astro Bot

Runner Up - Dan Attwell, David Garcia-Diaz, Mark Slater-Tunstill / Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

One of the best examples of excellent game design is what Shigeru Miyamoto did in the infamous Level 1-1 of Super Mario Bros. The entire level uses a show, don’t tell philosophy to tell you everything the game is about and what you need to do to play it. Astro Bot uses this philosophy level after level. It’s not just that the game is a blast and fun, but Douchet does it without telling you, making it feel that much more like a toybox, as if your imagination is doing all this. There’s no better compliment I can give a game developer than to compare him to Miyamoto, and in this game, Doucet does just that.

Best Story

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Runner Up - Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Final Fantasy VII is already one of the more well-known stories in gaming, but the remake trilogy is expanding and adding to it. Now, that doesn’t mean there isn’t stuff to criticize, specifically the confusing teasing of changing the events. However, I argue that Cloud's unreliable narration is a big part. Even with all that, Rebirth is able to tell the middle part of that story exceptionally well while expanding it. The supporting cast doesn’t take a backseat and has their arcs to deal with. Adding romance options can lead to a well-done romantic subplot for those who like those. But what really wins the award is how they took a moment we all knew was coming and still found a way to make you question it and deliver it with the same emotion many players experienced in the original 1997 release.

Game of the Year

Astro Bot

Runner Up - Dragon Age: The Veilguard

I can’t think of a game that best fits the definition of pure fun and what a video game should be more than Astro Bot in 2024. I love that video games are becoming more of a narrative medium, and we are dealing with more serious stories and characters. Still, there’s something nostalgic and therapeutic about playing a game to make you smile. Astro Bot accomplished that in a year filled with personal challenges and had unfortunate results in other areas. This is a game that I describe as frenetic, fun, and chaotic in the best way possible. Every level feels like a new experience as if a giant box of toys was dumped into your TV screen, and it is your time to play. Add in the PlayStation franchise crossovers and easter eggs, and you get the best game to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the brand. Astro Bot is, without a doubt, my 2024 Game of the Year.

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