Oh wow, would you look at the time, it’s gaming awards o’clock already. Where does the time go, January couldn’t have been more than a few months ago!
Inexorable progression of time aside, like every winter we’re now in the season of summaries and rankings. What better way to kick things off than with talking about the games nominated for the Game of the Year title in this year’s edition of The Game Awards?
This year’s contenders are fairly surprising, so let’s take a look, shall we?
TGA’s Goty Nominations
| Game | Genre | Developer | Nominee in category | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Balatro | Indie | LocalThunk | Game of the Year |
 | Black Myth Wukong | Action | Game Science | Game of the Year |
 | Elden Ring Shadow Of The Erdtree | Action | FromSoftware | Game of the Year |
 | Final Fantasy VII Rebirth | RPG | Square Enix Creative Business Unit I | Game of the Year |
 | Metaphor Refantazio | RPG | Studio Zero | Game of the Year |
 | Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth | RPG | Ryu ga Gotoku Studios | Best Narrative |
 | Silent Hill 2 | Horror | Bloober Team | Best Narrative |
 | Stellar Blade | Action | SHIFT UP | Best Score and Music |
 | Animal Well | Indie | Shared Memory | Best Independent Game |
 | Manor Lords | Strategy | Slavic Magic | Best Debut Indie Game |
 | Pacific Drive | Indie | Ironwood Studios | Best Debut Indie Game |
 | Helldivers 2 | Action | Arrowhead Game Studios | Best Action Game |
 | Warhammer 40000 Space Marine 2 | Action | Saber Interactive | Best Action Game |
 | Dragons Dogma II | RPG | CAPCOM | Best Role Playing Game |
 | Dragon Ball Sparking Zero | Fighting | Spike Chunsoft, Inc. | Best Fighting Game |
Astro Bot
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Team Asobi |
Who would have guessed that a cute platforming game, especially one that’s a PS5 exclusive, would end up among the best games of the year?
Astro Bot developers, Team Asobi, managed to find a way to make a game that’s unashamedly a festival of references to games you can (and should) try on PlayStation while, well, actually being one of the games you should absolutely try if you have a PS5.
Between all the excited moments of recognition, Astro Bot is an incredibly impressive 3D platform game which could rival some of the best titles in the genre of the last decade. The levels present a good mix of challenge and pure enjoyment, exploring every nook and cranny in search of secrets takes some creativity, and the controls are clear and responsive.
As for references themselves, Team Asobi went wide, including both latest hits like the Norse saga of God of War or Horizon, and older titles, like Killzone (from which we haven’t heard anything for a decade!) or Ape Escape, last seen almost two decades ago.
If you have a PS5, enjoy pointing at the screen in excitement, platforming games, and fun in-game collectibles this might well be your game of the year.
Balatro
| Genre: | Indie/Deck builder |
| Developer: | LocalThunk |
Another game which might be a massive surprise, at least to people who don’t pay much attention to indie games.
Describing Balatro as a poker game wouldn’t be a lie, necessarily, but it’s not just a poker game. It’s also, perhaps mostly, a roguelike deck-building game with extremely polished gameplay and, satisfying progression. Yes, progression in a poker game. It’s more likely than you’d think!
It won’t be long after you start playing that you’ll start getting cards with various modifiers to the cards’ values and multipliers, or even the rules of the game itself. Once you get a good hand and start raking in thousands or millions of points, it will be too late for you, you’ll be in the grips of this game.
Better yet, it’s a singleplayer game, with no sneaky microtransactions or traps. Just you, the most exciting math you’ll ever experience in your entire life, and your improving deck of cards against the game challenges.
One of the finest designs of the year, do yourself a service and give it a shot.
Black Myth: Wukong
| Genre: | Action |
| Developer: | Game Science |
Journey to the West, the centuries old, classical Chinese novel is no stranger to adaptations, but this one is easily one of the greatest.
Black Myth Wukong technically isn’t exactly about the Monkey King himself. We spend the prologue witnessing (and playing through) Sun Wukong’s downfall, and spend the rest of the game as the Destined One, a different monkey, tasked with collecting relics representing his fallen king’s scattered senses.
What does it mean for you, as a gamer? Well, it’s a fantastic third-person action game showing clear Souls-like inspirations, but less punishing and more focused and story-driven. While it’s largely linear, there are benefits to exploration which might reveal a hidden boss fight, or an ability you otherwise wouldn’t acquire. With several martial stances, spells and transformations, combat and exploration in this game is highly enjoyable.
BMW is also a real treat for those who are actually familiar with the novel (as opposed to simply recognizing its title and Sun Wukong from cultural osmosis). The story makes numerous references to the source material through items you find, characters you meet, and locations you visit, and learn what happened after the Journey to the West concluded.
It’s not hard to see why the game ended up with a GotY nomination.
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
| Genre: | Action |
| Developer: | FromSoftware |
It is weird to see an expansion in a category normally reserved for standalone, base games, but it has some merit in this case.
Shadow of the Erdtree is a massive expansion pack for the Game of the Year of TGA 2022: Elden Ring.
It adds a new region, the Land of Shadow, a new plotline involving a fellow called Miquella (well known to everybody who had problems with Malenia), and, of course, a host of new bosses to eventually defeat.
Fans of new toys to play with get new weapons (including several new categories) as well as a special progression system, which will improve your chances of succeeding on your quest.
Of course, accessing the expansion’s content isn’t going to be easy, as nothing in ER is, but Soulslike fans aren’t known to refuse a challenge. Especially when that challenge is as good as Shadow of the Erdtree.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
| Genre: | RPG |
| Developer: | Square Enix Creative Business Unit I |
When is a remake more than a remake? Perhaps when it grows so big it needs to be turned into three different games.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second installment of the massive remake of the 1997 RPG classic. After Cloud Strife and the gang left the city of Midgar at the end of FF7 Remake (yes, it is confusing) and is now out in the world, recharging and planning what to do about Shinra, Sephiroth and the weird sh…tuff which happened at the end of the previous game and teased substantial divergence from the canon established by the original game.
Rebirth doesn’t fix what wasn’t broken, so the new additions are largely evolutionary: team-up moves in combat, Chocobo (think: big, friendly, fluffy terror birds) riding for faster travel, as well as new companions and locations.
As a result, the playable roster now includes characters such as Yuffie (fully integrated after her DLC appearance in Remake), Red XIII (now playable after a passive role in FF7R), and Cait Sith, as well as some surprise playables we won’t spoil. As for locations, probably the most crucial is Costa del Sol, (in other words “Final Fantasy 7 beach episode”), Junon, and the Gold Saucer.
Admittedly, Rebirth probably should only be played after finishing Remake, as things get really weird, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s a really good, gorgeous and satisfying game.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
| Genre: | RPG |
| Developer: | Studio Zero |
The makers of Persona and Shin Megami Tensei have now set their sights on high fantasy, and once again hit the bull’s eye.
Metaphor: ReFantazio, despite its weird title, isn’t a Kingdom Hearts spin-off. Instead, it’s a new game from Atlus. It follows broadly in the gameplay footsteps of Persona and SMT, but explores the possibilities and tropes of the high fantasy genre instead.
When you begin the game, the kingdom of Euchronia could be a in a better state. The King is dead, the prince is otherwise occupied (by being cursed) and the coup is right around the corner. You’re just a fellow called Will with no importance, but a strong motivation to fix things somewhat, which includes helping the cursed prince gain enough popularity to be accepted as the next king.
It’s a lot of responsibility in the hand of a nobody, but, thankfully, you have competent companions and are able to channel the power of ancient heroes to carry you through the stylish, turn-based combat.
As an RPG, Metaphor is an excellent choice, and not just for people who really dig the compelling, time-restricted social simulation of Persona. There’s a ton of stuff to do, mysteries to uncover, and social ills to alleviate. Truly an Atlus game.
Tough competition
So there you have it, the six titles which found their way into this year’s GotY category of The Game Awards. It’s an odd mix, certainly, but it’s certainly great that the category wasn’t dominated by triple-A, action experiences and found some space for a cute mascot platformer and an indie game.
If you’d like to catch up on all of them to see for yourself what’s so great about them, check the offers on our marketplace, you don’t need to ruin your budget just to catch up on the best games of the year.
You might end up ruining your sleep schedule, though.