God of War: Ragnarok

Awarded
Game of the Year
Best Action-Adventure Game
Best PlayStation Exclusive
Best Single-Player Game
Best Voice Acting
Best Sound Design
Best Story

Nominated
Most Evolved Sequel
Best Graphics, Technical
Most Exciting Return
Best New Character

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Bayonetta 3

Awarded
Best Nintendo Exclusive
Most Exciting Return

Nominated
Best Action-Adventure Game
Best Single-Player Game
Game of the Year
Most Evolved Sequel

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Not for Broadcast

Awarded
Best Microsoft Exclusive
Best New Game
Best New Character
Best Indie Game

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best Voice Acting
Best Story
Best Atmosphere

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Valve Steam Deck

Awarded
Best Year in Gaming

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stitch.

Awarded
Best Apple Arcade

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Destiny 2: The Witch Queen

Awarded
Best Shooter

Nominated
Best Multiplayer Game
Best Multi-Platform Game

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The Last of Us Part 1

Awarded
Best Reissue

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best PlayStation Exclusive
Best Action-Adventure Game
Best Single-Player Game
Best Graphics, Technical

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Tactics Ogre Reborn

Awarded
Best Strategy

Nominated
Best Reissue

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Elden Ring

Awarded
Best Rogue-Like Game
Best Multi-Platform Game

Nominated
Best Action-Adventure Game
Best Graphics, Artistic
Best New Character
Game of the Year
Best Sound Design
Best Story
Best Atmosphere

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The King of Fighters XV

Awarded
Best Fighter

Nominated
Least Evolved Sequel

---

Gran Turismo 7

Awarded
Best Driving Game

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best Graphics, Technical
Best PlayStation Exclusive
Best Sound Design

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

Awarded
Best Multiplayer Game
Least Evolved Sequel

Nominated
Best Shooter
Best New Character

---

Sonic Frontiers

Awarded
Best Platformer
Most Evolved Sequel

Nominated
Best Multi-Platform Game
Most Exciting Return

---

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Awarded
Best RPG

Nominated
Best Nintendo Exclusive
Most Evolved Sequel
Game of the Year

---

Scorn

Awarded
Most Disappointing Game
Best Graphics, Artistic

Nominated
Best Sound Design
Best Atmosphere

---

A Plague Tale: Requiem

Awarded
Best Graphics, Technical

Nominated
Game of the Year
Least Evolved Sequel
Best Multi-Platform Game
Best Story
Best Atmosphere

---

The Callisto Protocol

Awarded
Best Atmosphere

Nominated
Best Single-Player Game
Best New Game
Best Multi-Platform Game
Best Voice Acting
Best Sound Design

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Pentiment

Nominated
Best Microsoft Exclusive

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Vampire Survivors

Nominated
Best Microsoft Exclusive
Best Rogue-Like Game

---

Total War: Warhammer III

Nominated
Best Microsoft Exclusive
Best Strategy Game

---

High On Life

Nominated
Best Microsoft Exclusive
Best Shooter

---

Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Nominated
Best Nintendo Exclusive

---

Mario + Rabbids: Spark of Hope

Nominated
Best Nintendo Exclusive
Best Strategy Game

---

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Nominated
Best Nintendo Exclusive

---

Horizon: Forbidden West

Nominated
Best PlayStation Exclusive

---

Nintendo

Nominated
Best Year in Gaming

---

Nvidia

Nominated
Best Year in Gaming

---

Microsoft

Nominated
Best Year in Gaming

---

Sony

Nominated
Best Year in Gaming

---

Warped: Kart Racers

Nominated
Best Apple Arcade Game

---

Horizon Chase 2

Nominated
Best Apple Arcade Game

---

Wylde Flowers

Nominated
Best Apple Arcade Game

---

Jetpack Joyride 2

Nominated
Best Apple Arcade Game

---

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe

Nominated
Best Reissue

---

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

Nominated
Best Reissue

---

Atari 50: The Anniversary Collection

Nominated
Best Reissue

---

Victoria 3

Nominated
Best Strategy Game

---

Triangle Strategy

Nominated
Best Strategy Game

---

DNF Duel

Nominated
Best Fighter

---

MultiVersus

Nominated
Best Fighter

---

Capcom Fighting Collection

Nominated
Best Fighter

---

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

Nominated
Best Fighter

---

Need for Speed: Unbound

Nominated
Best Driving Game

---

WRC Generations

Nominated
Best Driving Game

---

MotoGP 22

Nominated
Best Driving Game

---

F1 22

Nominated
Best Driving Game

---

Overwatch 2

Nominated
Best Multiplayer Game

---

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Nominated
Best Multiplayer Game

---

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

Nominated
Best Multiplayer Game

---

OlliOlli World

Nominated
Best Platformer

---

Neon White

Nominated
Best Platformer

---

Freedom Planet 2

Nominated
Best Platformer

---

Rogue Legacy 2

Nominated
Best Platformer
Best Rogue-Like Game
Best Indie Game

---

Valkyrie Elysium

Nominated
Most Disappointing Game

---

Babylon’s Fall

Nominated
Most Disappointing Game

---

Gotham Knights

Nominated
Most Disappointing Game

---

Saints Row

Nominated
Most Disappointing Game

---

Valkyrie Elysium

Nominated
Most Disappointing Game

---

Pokemon Scarlet/Violet

Nominated
Least Evolved Sequel

---

Goat Simulator 3

Nominated
Least Evolved Sequel

---

Dying Light 2: Stay Human

Nominated
Most Exciting Return

---

Return to Monkey Island

Nominated
Most Exciting Return

---

Stray

Nominated
Best New Game
Best Graphics, Artistic
Best Indie Game

---

Cult of the Lamb

Nominated
Best New Game
Best New Character
Best Graphics, Artistic
Best Rogue-Like Game
Best Indie Game

---

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII – Reunion

Nominated
Best RPG

---

Chained Echoes

Nominated
Best RPG

---

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero

Nominated
Best RPG

---

Jack Move

Nominated
Best RPG

---

Prodeus

Nominated
Best Shooter

---

Metal: Hellsinger

Nominated
Best Shooter

---

Plate-Up!

Nominated
Best Rogue-Like Game

---

Tunic

Nominated
Best Indie Game

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Game of the year doesn’t always been the most expensive or best selling. It has to be one of the most well-rounded games of the year or be revolutionary in some way. A great story, fun characters, excellent gameplay, and great visuals also help, but it’s not always a factor. This is the hardest category to pick every year and this year was probably one of the hardest in a long time. Usually, there are only a few obvious choices, but not this time.

God of War: Ragnarok

Ragnarok isn’t just one of the best looking games this year, but it’s evolved combat, fantastic story, lovable characters, insanely good voice acting, and exploration and puzzle solving add to an otherwise nearly perfect game. They don’t make games like this often, and when they do, gamers rejoice.

Runner-Ups

A Plague Tale: Requiem

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Elden Ring

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Horizon: Forbidden West

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Not for Broadcast

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The Last of Us Part 1

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Xenoblade Chronicles 3

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Bayonetta 3

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A game’s atmosphere can make break immersion. This is how much dread it makes you feel just being in the world. It can make you a feeling of nostalgic adventure, it can transport you back to a time when you were a kid…or one of the worst times of your life. It’s very hard to have a game’s atmosphere be consistent and pull you in. This usually isn’t tied to the story or anything like that, but graphics do go hand-in-hand.

The Callisto Protocol

Say what you will about how much of a Dead Space clone this game is, or it’s average combat, but the game really gives you a sense of dread, loneliness, and desperation that a lot of games can’t pull off. Even if you throw out the horror themes there’s a lot of fear in the world itself. Claustrophobic hallways, prison cells, and being stranded on a derelict planet doesn’t help. The opening scene really gives a sense of fear and sucks all hope from you.

Runner-Ups

A Plague Tale: Requiem

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Elden Ring

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Scorn

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Not for Broadcast

Stories are probably the most important aspect of a game for most genres. It can supersede visuals and sometimes even gameplay if it’s good enough. Sadly, great stories in-game are hard to come by these days. Memorable characters, interesting twists, and turns, and a fantastical world packed full of lore. There are many ways to tell a story either through text, visuals, or voice acting.

God of War: Ragnarok

Picking up exactly where the last game left off, Ragnarok continues the story of Kratos and his son Atreus on their epic quest to stop Ragnarok. Not only is the entire story interesting and full of fantastic Norse lore, but the characters themselves are insanely entertaining to watch on screen and you can’t get enough of it. It’s hard to turn the game off especially when that next bit of story comes along and teases the next chapter.

Runner-Ups

A Plague Tale: Requiem

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Elden Ring

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Horizon: Forbidden West

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Not for Broadcast

Sounds are incredibly important in a game. They can transport you to another time, realm, universe, or planet. From crunching footsteps in the snow to foreign aliens to screeching animals. Gurgling bloody screams, realistic-sounding cars, and even the boom coming from your subwoofer at just the right time. Sounds are just as important as visuals and can sometimes even compensate for them.

God of War: Ragnarok

God of War’s soundscape is insanely detailed. From magical chimes and clanking of chains to the sound of your axe swooshing through the air. There’s so many sounds happening in this game to help make it come to life that it helps draw you into this world. The sheer variety and otherwordly things you listen to help draw you in and hold your attention. Some of the best visuals of they year help as well.

Runner-Ups

Gran Turismo 7

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Elden Ring

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The Callisto Protocol

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Scorn

We all love our 5-year-in-development big-budget AAA titles, but the indie games are the ones that have been carrying the industry through the slump since the last video game crash of 2008. These games have been the only ones pushing genres forward, defining new series, establishing beloved worlds and characters, and imaginative worlds.

Not for Broadcast

Not for Broadcast isn’t just the best live action FMV game ever made, but probably the funniest. It pokes fun at politics, the recent pandemic, and has phenomenal acting. Being the broadcast censor really makes things a lot of fun and adds layers of gameplay and challenge. The game really makes you feel like your choices matter, and the side story of dealing with your family in this dystopian world adds just one more layer on the cake. This is a fantastic, unique, and wholly original game that has never been done before.

Runner-Ups

Tunic

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Stray

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Cult of the Lamb

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Rogue Legacy 2

Voice acting has been in games since 3D games have been a thing. Over time the visuals and motion capture have advanced to the point in which we are playing interactive movies. Real-life movie stars can put all of their skills to use as well as talented newcomers. This year had some fantastic voice acting done by incredibly talented people.

God of War: Ragnarok

Christopher Judge’s take on Kratos has been one of the best things to ever happen to gaming. He breathed life and a new persona into Kratos. He’s no longer the tired angry God cliche that he was before. He was shallow and hard to like. He now has feelings and an insane amount of depth to him. The other actors such as Sunny Suljic did a fantastic job on their part. Every character is memorable and perfectly cast.

Runner-Ups

High on Life

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Horizon: Forbidden West

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The Callisto Protocol

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Not for Broadcast

Technical graphics usually push the latest hardware to their limits or look so real you can’t tell if it is or not. These games can exist on consoles especially if they can pull off amazing feats of trickery. Right people are looking for the first game that looks next-gen. Sadly, until we get away from the cross-generation releases that won’t be in full swing.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

Requiem may not be perfect, and may set the series back a few steps, but one thing that can’t be denied is that this looks like a true next-generation title. The graphics are unlike any other this year. While many games looked very good in this regard A Plague Tale impresses with it’s insane lighting, ray-tracing, sweeping vistas, incredibly detailed textures, and character models. This is probably the first true next-generation game as it wasn’t released for older consoles.

Runner-Ups

Gran Turismo 7

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Horizon: Forbidden West

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God of War: Ragnarok

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The Last of Us Part I

We all love our favorite established characters, but when a new character comes along with charisma, charm, a great design, or a fantastic voice actor it’s something to celebrate. This year had a lot of great new characters in new games and returning franchises. Some talked and some didn’t.

Jeremy Donaldson – Not for Broadcast

Not for Broadcast isn’t only the funniest game to be made in a long time, but the characters keep you hooked in the game. This FMV style game is probably the best to ever do it. The Monty Python style British comedy mixed with politics and dark humor is just cleverly written, cast, and made. Jeremy Donaldson is a miserable news anchor who hates the world and people around him. He oozes a charm and keeps you glued to your screen.

Runner-Ups

Alejandro Vargas – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

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Lamb – Cult of the Lamb

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Lunar Princess Ranni – Elden Ring

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Odin – God of War: Ragnarok

A brand new category this year. Rogue-likes (or rogue-lites) have become a huge and popular genre that’s now here to stay. From the father of the genre, From Software, with King’s Field to the mobile hit on iOS Infinity Blade, the genre has blown up and become the masochist’s favorite way to play. This year saw a great number of them from indie developers, and they were all impressive.

Elden Ring

Was this a surprise? Even if you hate the game and think it’s too hard that’s the whole damn point. I suck at the Souls series, but love the lore, atmosphere, creature design, and combat. I have yet to even get close to finishing this game, but I always dive back in because of the open world nature that changed the entire way we play this series. It’s a fantastic game that many more people should at least try.

Runner-Ups

Rogue Legacy 2

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Cult of the Lamb

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Vampire Survivors

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PlateUp!