Game of the Year: #5 - Balatro

Image: Push Square

Against all odds, a roguelike card game from a solo developer has made it into this year's Game of the Year conversation. Even securing a nomination for the top gong at The Game Awards, Balatro is holding its own among much larger scale projects, and for the millions who've played it, this will come as little surprise.

At a base level, Balatro is about playing poker hands to score points, with your sole objective being to score equal to or higher than a target. Each run begins with a standard, 52-card deck, but the magic quickly starts to kick in.

Various systems come into play that provide you with opportunities to upgrade your deck, add or remove cards, and imbue your run with all kinds of game-changing modifiers. It's all of these design aspects working in harmony that give Balatro its compelling allure; you have so many ways to twist the rules in your favour, and seeing your plan come together and deliver huge scores is one of 2024's most satisfying gaming moments.

It's a game not so much about building a deck as it is about rigging one; discovering powerful synergies between your cards and Jokers you pick up along the way, then doubling down by enhancing the stuff you need and transforming or destroying the stuff you don't. While not every run will end in success, you're always unlocking more Jokers or learning something about your approach. And when you do win, it feels fantastic — and you can carry on into endless mode to see how far your score-blazing deck can take you.