Alan Wake II

Awarded
Game of the Year
Best Single-Player Game
Most Evolved Sequel
Best Multi-Platform Game
Most Exciting Return
Best Graphics, Technical
Best Voice Acting
Best Story
Best Atmosphere

Nominated
Best Sound Design

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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Awarded
Best PlayStation Exclusive
Best Action-Adventure Game

Nominated
Least Evolved Sequel
Best Graphics, Technical
Best Sound Design
Game of the Year

---

Starfield

Awarded
Best Microsoft Exclusive

Nominated
Best RPG
Best New Character

---

Valve

Awarded
Best Year in Gaming

---

Cypher 007

Awarded
Best Apple Arcade Game

---

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Awarded
Best Nintendo Exclusive

Nominated
Best Single-Player Game
Least Evolved Sequel
Most Exciting Return
Game of the Year

---

Resident Evil 4

Awarded
Best Reissue

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best Action-Adventure Game
Best Single-Player Game
Best Multi-Platform Game
Most Exciting Return
Best Graphics, Technical
Best Atmosphere

---

Pikmin 4

Awarded
Best Strategy Game

Nominated
Best Nintendo Exclusive

---

Mortal Kombat 1

Awarded
Best Fighter

Nominated
Most Evolved Sequel
Most Exciting Return
Best Sound Design
Best Story

---

Forza Motorsport

Awarded
Best Driving Game

Nominated
Best Microsoft Exclusive
Best Graphics, Technical

---

The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood

Awarded
Best Adventure Game

Nominated
Best Story

---

Bang-On Balls Chronicles

Awarded
Best Multiplayer Game

---

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Awarded
Best Platformer

Nominated
Best Nintendo Exclusive

---

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

Awarded
Most Disappointing Game

---

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III

Awarded
Least Evolved Sequel

Nominated
Most Disappointing Game

---

Hogwarts Legacy

Awarded
Best New Game

Nominated
Best RPG
Best Story
Game of the Year

---

Baldur’s Gate III

Awarded
Best RPG

Nominated
Best Single-Player Game
Most Evolved Sequel
Best Multi-Platform Game
Most Exciting Return
Best New Character
Best Voice Acting
Game of the Year

---

Final Fantasy XVI

Awarded
Best Graphics, Artistic
Best New Character

Nominated
Best PlayStation Exclusive
Most Evolved Sequel
Best RPG
Best Graphics, Technical
Best Voice Acting
Best Story
Game of the Year

---

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Awarded
Best Shooter

Nominated
Best New Character
Best Voice Acting
Best Sound Design

---

Lies of P

Awarded
Best Rogue-Like Game

Nominated
Best Graphics, Artistic
Best New Game

---

World of Horror

Awarded
Best Indie Game

Nominated
Best Graphics, Artistic
Best Atmosphere

---

Dead Space

Awarded
Best Sound Design

Nominated
Best Reissue
Best Action-Adventure Game
Best Single-Player Game
Best Multi-Platform Game
Best Atmosphere
Game of the Year

---

Metroid Prime Remastered

Nominated
Best Nintendo Exclusive
Best Reissue

---

Super Mario RPG

Nominated
Best Nintendo Exclusive
Best Reissue
Best RPG

---

Hi-Fi Rush

Nominated
Best Microsoft Exclusive
Best New Game

---

Videoverse

Nominated
Best Microsoft Exclusive
Best Indie Game

---

Planet of Lana

Nominated
Best Microsoft Exclusive
Best Graphics, Artistic
Best Platformer

---

Junkworld TD

Nominated
Best Apple Arcade Game

---

Japanese Rural Life Adventure

Nominated
Best Apple Arcade Game

---

Samba de Amigo: Party-to-Go!

Nominated
Best Apple Arcade Game

---

Hello Kitty Island Adventure

Nominated
Best Apple Arcade Game

---

Horizon: Call of the Mountain

Nominated
Best PlayStation Exclusive

---

Nintendo

Nominated
Best Year in Gaming

---

Sony

Nominated
Best Year in Gaming

---

Apple

Nominated
Best Year in Gaming

---

Microsoft

Nominated
Best Year in Gaming

---

Star Ocean: The Second Story R

Nominated
Best Reissue

---

Jagged Alliance 3

Nominated
Best Strategy Game

---

Age of Wonders 4

Nominated
Best Strategy Game

---

Advance Wars 1+2 Reboot Camp

Nominated
Best Strategy Game

---

Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless

Nominated
Best Strategy Game

---

Street Fighter 6

Nominated
Best Fighter
Best New Character

---

Nickelodeon All-Stars Brawl 2

Nominated
Best Fighter

---

Pocket Bravery

Nominated
Best Fighter

---

F1 23

Nominated
Best Driving Game

---

Terminal Velocity: Boosted Edition

Nominated
Best Driving Game

---

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbo Charged

Nominated
Best Driving Game

---

The Crew Motorfest

Nominated
Best Driving Game

---

A Space for the Unbound

Nominated
Best Adventure Game

---

Jusant

Nominated
Best Adventure Game
Best Graphics, Artistic

---

Viewfinder

Nominated
Best Adventure Game

---

The Invincible

Nominated
Best Adventure Game
Best Atmosphere

---

Diablo IV

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best Multiplayer Game
Best Multi-Platform Game
Most Exciting Return

---

Counter-Strike 2

Nominated
Best Multiplayer Game

---

Remnant II

Nominated
Best Multiplayer Game

---

Risk of Rain Returns

Nominated
Best Multiplayer Game
Best Rogue-Like Game

---

Blasphemous II

Nominated
Best Platformer

---

Vernal Edge

Nominated
Best Platformer

---

Laika: Aged Through Blood

Nominated
Best Platformer

---

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

Nominated
Least Evolved Sequel

---

Sea of Stars

Nominated
Best New Game
Best Indie Game

---

Cocoon

Nominated
Best New Game
Best Indie Game

---

Backpack Hero

Nominated
Best Rogue-Like Game

---

Astral Ascent

Nominated
Best Rogue-Like Game

---

Roboquest

Nominated
Best Rogue-Like Game

---

Gravity Circuit

Nominated
Best Indie Game

---

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Nominated
Game of the Year
Best Voice Acting
Most Evolved Sequel
Best Action-Adventure Game

---

Armored Core VI: Fires of the Rubicon

Nominated
Best Action-Adventure Game

---

Wanted: Dead

Nominated
Best Disappointing Game

---

Redfall

Nominated
Best Disappointing Game

---

God of Rock

Nominated
Best Disappointing Game

---

Immortals of Aveum

Nominated
Best Shooter

---

Turbo Overkill

Nominated
Best Shooter

---

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun

Nominated
Best Shooter

---

HROT

Nominated
Best Shooter

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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.

Alan Wake II

Alan Wake II may not be everyone’s Game of the Year, but it was more my type of game this year. I love single-player narrative driven stories with cinematic elements. They were my Achille’s Heel growing up as a kid during the PS2 era and they are something I just enjoy so much. Alan Wake II‘s mix of live action cut scenes, action, atmosphere, story, and gameplay all combine for something truly unique and out of left field this year. No one expected this game to be this good.

Runner-Ups

Resident Evil 4

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Dead Space

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Baldur’s Gate III

---

Hogwarts Legacy

---

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

---

Final Fantasy XVI

---

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

---

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

---

Mortal Kombat 1

---

Diablo IV

---

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

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Well, this category isn’t something you want to see any games in, but they exist every year, and as time goes on it’s actually harder to find the games to put in here due to how many there are. That’s not a good thing. Many games disappointed this year from buggy launches, unfinished products, being a dud in a loved series, or just plain sucking.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

It’s sad to see a franchise that’s known for high-quality games get put into this category. Gollum suffered from a terrible development cycle that has a whole story behind it. What we got was an unfinished and incomplete game that no amount of patches can fix or restore.

Runner-Ups

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III

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Wanted: Dead

---

Redfall

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God of Rock

Action games are staples of video gaming. The best AAA titles duke it out for the crown of this genre and many a series have been considered the greatest of all time. A great action game should have insanely fun gameplay, incredible visuals, and something to make the game feel like you are in it.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Insomniac Games somehow manages to top themselves with every release. Spider-Man 2 continues to make you feel like Spidey with smooth web-swinging, some the best visuals this side of consoles, and just tons more gameplay and things to do.

Runner-Ups

Resident Evil 4

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Dead Space

---

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

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Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon

A game that evolves the most isn’t always the best game out there. Bringing a series back from the dead in spectacular ways, fantastic reboots, or fixing a long-running broken series can go a long way. There were many greatly improved sequels that did little to halt the progress of what it went out to achieve.

Alan Wake II

Alan Wake II is a far cry from the first. Sadly, it makes playing the original game more difficult as it feels so dated in comparison. It’s not just the visuals that evolved, but the entire game just feels like a new IP or reboot rather than a sequel. This type of effort and evolution is rare in video games and only some of the best can pull it off.

Runner-Ups

Baldur’s Gate III

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Mortal Kombat 1

---

Final Fantasy XVI

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Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

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.

Alan Wake II

Each character is a believable well acted experience. From the live actions scenes to the silly TV promos there is a genuine family at Remedy Entertainment that is present in every game and it shows so much here. You feel like these actors are the characters and not just trying to sound or be like them.

Runner-Ups

Final Fantasy XVI

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Baldur’s Gate III

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Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

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Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

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.

Alan Wake II

Alan Wake‘s atmosphere is some of the best in horror. It’s unsettling, surreal, and somehow too familiar. There are rarely any jumpscares and instead the game relies on tense gameplay, uncertainty, and putting what might frighten you right there in your face and making you watch it.

Runner-Ups

World of Horror

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Dead Space

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Resident Evil 4

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The Invincible

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.

Alan Wake II

Alan Wake II‘s story isn’t just more comprehensible this time around, but feels so unique and different from many other video game stories out there. The mix between live action cut-scenes, the voice acting, the narrative direction, and the overall production values just add up to one fantastic story that lets you catch new things or details you missed with each play through.

Runner-Ups

Mortal Kombat 1

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Hogwarts Legacy

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Final Fantasy XVI

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The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood

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.

Dead Space

Dead Space isn’t just a scary game, but it sounds like a scary game. The haunting screams, alien sounds, the music, and weapons add up to one terrifying experience.

Runner-Ups

Mortal Kombat 1

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Alan Wake II

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Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

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.

World of Horror

World of Horror is a title that has slid under many’s radar, but it shouldn’t. This Junji Ito inspired game harkens back to the days of 8-bit PC adventure titles. The representation of Junji’s short stories are present here with bite sized RPG stories that have fantastic art and atmosphere.

Runner-Ups

Videoverse

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Sea of Stars

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Cocoon

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Gravity Circuit