Balatro is the rare indie game that made it mainstream, having sold millions of copies, gotten nominations at pretty much every major game of the year ceremony, and drawn a dedicated meme-loving fanbase. But solo-developer Localthunk hasn't stopped championing other indies all year, and he's now even given a shoutout to his favorites.
On social media, Localthunk announced his "very prestigious Golden Thunk award for Game of the Year 2024" that'll hopefully become an annual tradition, and this year it went to a metroidvainia that packs secrets upon secrets: Animal Well. "Animal Well was an engrossing experience," he tweeted. "Dripping with style, secrets, and making me feel like an imposter in this industry as a dev, Billy Basso created a true masterpiece." Animal Well creator Billy Basso then shared his own "Nicest Most Humble Dev of the Year award" right back.
