Watch your back, Geoff; the mysterious developer of 2024's breakout pokerlike, Balatro, is getting in on the award show game. Opting for a more cost-effective Tweet thread instead of Keighley's whole song and dance, Localthunk used their newfound fame to highlight a series of promising indies, bestowing upon the excellent Animal Well the prestigious Golden Thunk award for Game of the Year 2024.
Considering Balatro's complete takeover last year, Localthunk's praise for the similarly lone-wolf developer is probably worth its weight in gold: "Animal Well was an engrossing experience. Dripping with style and secrets and making me feel like an imposter in this industry as a developer, Billy Basso created a true masterpiece."
Localthunk also recommends some very promising runners-up, none of which have been announced for PS5 and PS4, and thus, their names shall not be uttered here (that said, we could see the universally acclaimed fever dream that is Mouthwashing coming at some stage).