Some of the other takes Ive seen include:
Balatro looks lame compared to Wukong.
Its a card game.
Balatro looks like a cheap mobile game.
While I dont begrudge anyone from having their own personal opinions, its my job to argue with them.
Balatro breaks apart one of the most iconic games in the world - poker - and reimagines it.
Balatro is polished, compelling, and brilliantly designed - all by a single developer.
This is a clever game.
Lets not get too carried away.
Is it the best game of all time?
No, probably not.
Is it the best indie game of all time?
No, probably not.
Is it a damn good game?
Balatros gameplay loop is dopamine defined.
It feels incredible whenever you manage to build a deck that hits the stratosphere.
The game is instantly affirming and the sound of the multiplying score is like a sugar rush.
Balatros audio and visual design are also top tier.
Balatro might be my GOTY, but it might not be yours.
But to dismiss a game as smart as Balatro as just a card game boggles my mind.
Games are so much more than IP fanfare and raytracing.
Balatros got a lot of soul.
We should be celebrating a game like this, rather than knocking it down.
And thats what all this is really about, anyway.
The last indie nomination for GOTY we got at TGA was Stray in 2022.
Hades vs Last Of Us Part 2 in 2020?
Well, that was a little closer to call.
In theory, thats what The Game Awards are all about.
I think its pretty neat that games like both Wukong and Balatro are up for the same award.
you’re able to enjoy both of them.
Or neither of them.
But theres no denying theyve both earned their spot on the list.
