AFK Journey — Apple’s iPhone Game of the Year
Following Google, Apple Corporation has announced the best mobile games of 2024 in its app store.
iPhone Game of the Year
The winner in this category is AFK Journey. It is a free-to-play role-playing battler with gacha mechanics by the Chinese company Lilith Games. In the game, players take on the role of the wizard Merlin and, along with other heroes, explore the world of Esperia.
iPad Game of the Year
Squad Busters is a battle royale featuring characters from various Supercell games. It was developed and published by Supercell itself.
Mac Game of the Year
Thank Goodness You’re Here! is a comedy adventure where you play as an eccentric traveling salesman. The main character finds himself in the fictional town of Barnsworth, where the residents give him numerous unusual tasks. The game was developed by a small British studio named Coal Supper, consisting of only two people. It was published by Panic, known for titles like Untitled Goose Game and Arco.
Game of the Year for Apple Vision Pro AR Headset
Thrasher is a colorful and sensory-rich game about the journey of a giant cosmic eel through surreal lands. It was created by the studio Puddle, which, like Coal Supper mentioned earlier, has only two employees.
Apple Arcade Game of the Year
Balatro is a mobile version of a popular card "roguelike" by indie developer LocalThunk. It was published by Playstack.
Best Games in the "Cultural Impact" Category
Apple awarded three games in this category.
Do You Really Want to Know 2 is a text-based game detailing the lives of people with HIV. The narrative unfolds through simulated social media interactions. The game was created by the studio Gamtropy in collaboration with the Taiwan AIDS Society.
NYT Games is a collection of puzzles from The New York Times.
The Wreck is a dark visual novel about a screenwriter whose life has taken a downturn. The main character faces problems at work and in her personal life, and her mother has recently been taken to intensive care. Players must uncover the essence of these tragedies and figure out how the heroine can move forward. The Wreck was developed and published by the French studio The Pixel Hunt.
