It’s awards season! And there’s no better way to kick it off than The Game Awards, a show that I consistently enjoy despite not always being the most entertaining. Geoff Keighley has stuck with his vision for TGA and evolved the show into a slickly produced showcase of the past year full of exciting announcements, random celebrity appearances and the celebration of some of the year’s best games. TGA isn’t perfect — it’s a bit like potpourri. Made up of different elements, it can be flashy and entertaining, but ultimately, you end up looking at it and thinking, is all of this really necessary? Awards are handed out during ad breaks; the strict schedule means we don’t hear much from the winners (unless you’re Chris Judge), and there are too many of the “bad kind” of adverts. I can be sold on a new game announcement, but I won’t finish watching TGA and decide to buy a new Samsung TV. These adverts help Geoff fund the show and can be ignored, so I’m not too upset about them. It can be pretty gruelling when the show starts so late in the UK.
I’d say TGA is still a work in progress. Having the announcements is an excellent way to keep things exciting and attract a more casual audience, as awards shows are often quite drab affairs. It does sometimes feel, however, that they can overshadow the awards themselves. More screen time for the developers behind the games would be great. They all deserve championing! They also need to be safe, and I’m hoping Geoff is serious when he says the security issues of last year have been addressed. The “Bill Clinton Kid” incident was slightly amusing in the moment, but it could have easily ended in disaster. Hopefully, there’s a zero-tolerance policy to nonsense this year. Leave the nonsense to The Muppets.
Without further ado, here are my predictions and personal picks for The Game Awards. I won’t cover the E-Sports and Creator Awards because I am either too cool to know anything about them or am severely out of touch (it’s almost certainly the latter).
Game of the Year
My Pick: Alan Wake II
Prediction: Baldurs Gate 3
I’m saving most of my praise for Alan Wake II for my review, which is taking longer than I’d like, but I want it to be as good as possible. The game was thirteen years in the making, and it delivered in all the ways I hoped it would and then some: Intense survival horror combat, reality-bending puzzles, a rich story that tows the line between reality and fiction, and an array of fantastic performances throughout. However, I expect Baldurs Gate 3 to win the grand award. It had a massive year.
Best Game Direction
My Pick: Alan Wake II
Prediction: Alan Wake II
This is one of the few where I’ll be a bit gutted if Alan Wake II doesn’t pick up the win. Alan Wake II is a work of art. It pushes the medium of video games forward in so many different ways. It scares you. It makes you laugh. It makes you feel. It’s a AAA transmedial arthouse masterpiece that doesn’t happen without a clear and inventive vision.
Best Narrative
My Pick: Alan Wake II
Prediction: Baldurs Gate 3
It’s well known that Remedy has been waiting for years to tell the story of Alan Wake II. For them to tell it in such an extraordinary way while raising just as many questions as answers is absurd. I’m still contemplating in my very own mind; such is Alan Wake II’s power. I can’t deny that the abstract method of storytelling isn’t for everyone, and Baldurs Gate 3 having so many different branching paths likely puts it in a strong position here. Choices really matter in Baldurs Gate 3.
Best Art Direction
My Pick: Hi-Fi Rush
Prediction: Lies of P
This was tough; it could go to any of the nominees, and it’d be deserved. Hi-Fi Rush’s art style perfectly accompanies its gameplay and emphasis on music. It pops and looks great. People do love the gothic Bloodborne-esque look of Lies of P, though, and I can see it picking this one up.
Best Score and Music
My Pick: Alan Wake II
Prediction: Final Fantasy XVI
Although Alan Wake II isn’t episodic like its predecessor, it still has its fair share of needle drops thanks to the chapter format. Remedy reached out to various artists across the genres to create original songs for the game that lend themselves to the narrative. It works great. I’ve not played Final Fantasy XVI, but by all accounts, this award will go to Masayoshi Soken and will be well deserved.
Best Audio Design
My Pick: Alan Wake II
Prediction: Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush has to win this one. The whole game revolves around audio! That said, I love Alan Wake’s audio design. So many small details have stuck with me: the way the shadows in the dark place say “WAKE”, the jittering of the machines in Coffee World, the way the music loops during “We Sing” until you proceed to the next stage where the vocals will kick back in and it still sounds natural. Great stuff.
Best Performance
My Pick: Melanie Liburd (Alan Wake II)
Prediction: Ben Starr (Final Fantasy XVI)
Melanie Liburd had no small task. Having a new playable character in a sequel game is always a risk — even more so when it’s been thirteen years. Still, Saga Anderson is an instant hit thanks to the combination of Remedy’s writing and Liburd’s performance. Saga starts as an enthusiastic and competent detective before getting lost in a whirlwind of emotions. Her accent bleeds often, enhancing the mystery surrounding her character’s origins, and Liburd tackles the hard-hitting moments with enormous sincerity. Ben Starr has had a massive year following his video game debut in Final Fantasy XVI, and I think he’ll bring home the gold. This is another highly tight category, though, as Neil Newbon could easily win for his performance as Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Innovation in Accessibility
My Pick: Street Fighter 6
Prediction: Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6 is my pick and prediction for this one. Modern Controls has revolutionised not only Street Fighter but also the entire fighting game genre. It allows those unfamiliar with fighters to learn the basics without worrying about convoluted button combos. The audio and visual accessibility features are also fantastic, meaning blind players can play the game knowing exactly where their character is on the stage.
Game for Impact
My Pick: Venba
Prediction: Venba
I’m not particularly sure how this category gets judged. Is it purely the best game in this category, the game with the most significant message, or the game that executes its message the best? Chants of Sennaar sounds right up my street as a puzzler similar to Return of the Obra Din, but I’ve not heard much about its message. I’ll go with Venba, as I’ve seen it the most, and immigration is an important topic (particularly right now in the UK).
Best Ongoing Game
My Pick: Cyberpunk 2077
Prediction: Cyberpunk 2077
Best Ongoing Game usually goes to a live service game that is constantly updated, like Fortnite or Destiny 2. This year, I think Cyberpunk 2077 deserves the nod. I applied for a refund following the game’s disastrous launch but never sorted it, and as a result, I gave Cyberpunk another chance after its 2.0 update. I’m pleased to say it has finally reached the state that was promised pre-launch. After slightly bouncing off Starfield, this game gave me precisely what I wanted with an immersive setting full of interesting quests and characters. I’ve put a lot of time into the game and still haven’t reached the Phantom Liberty expansion quests, which means I’ll likely be playing Cyberpunk through 2024 at the very least! We’d all have preferred the game launched this way, but credit to CDProjektRed for sticking with Cyberpunk and finally delivering on it.
Best Community Support
My Pick: No Man’s Sky
Prediction: No Man’s Sky
Sean Murray and the team at Hello Games continue to amaze me with the sheer amount of content in each of their updates. No Man’s Sky isn’t my kind of game, but I respect the hell out of it. It’s not a “redemption arc” at this point; it’s a company doing its own thing, continuing to reward and surprise its community with every patch.
Best Independent Game
My Pick: Dredge
Prediction: Sea of Stars
Dredge is a fantastic little combination of survival horror, life sim, and puzzler. Its fishing gameplay loop is simple yet effective, and the satisfaction you get from sorting your inventory in Resident Evil 4 is here and then some. Sea of Stars was released to critical and public acclaim, and I think it’ll probably go over here.
Best Debut Indie Game
My Pick: Dredge
Prediction: Dredge
The fact that everything I’ve just said about Dredge is the studio’s first attempt makes it even more impressive. Easy call. I think it has a legitimate chance in this category, too. Play Dredge!
Best Mobile Game
My Pick: Terra Nil
Prediction: Honkai: Star Rail
Terra Nil looks pretty. That’s all I have. My mobile game of the year is Mr Bullet and its various spin-offs. I think Honkai: Star Rail is pretty popular? It’ll win.
Best VR / AR Game
My Pick: Resident Evil: Village
Prediction: Gran Turismo 7
Resident Evil must be responsible for at least 50% of PSVR2 sales. Capcom is doing some serious heavy lifting. Gran Turismo 7 seems to have gone over well with fans, and PlayStation is probably hoping for a first-party win here to boost faith in PSVR2.
Best Action Game
My Pick: Hi-Fi Rush
Prediction: Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
As you can see, I’m pretty high on Hi-Fi Rush! I think the timed combat is ingenious, and Tango smashed it out of the park on its first attempt. Armored Core will win here, though.
Best Action/Adventure Game
My Pick: Resident Evil 4
Prediction: Spider-Man 2
I love Resident Evil 4, and it deserves an award. The stigma of it being a remake will hurt, though, and I think this will be where Spider-Man 2 gets some love.
Best RPG
My Pick: Baldur’s Gate 3
Prediction: Baldur’s Gate 3
After giving in to the hype, I played quite a lot of BG3 over the Summer. I never actually made it to Baldur’s Gate. I think the last thing I did was kill that horrible spider thing that holds the fancy light. The game deserves this award for Act I alone. I got more than my money’s worth from the 30-odd hours I spent stumbling around the Emerald Grove and its surrounding areas and visiting dear old Auntie Ethel, so if the game ended there, I’d still have given it this award—easiest bet of the night.
Best Fighting Game
My Pick: Street Fighter 6
Prediction: Street Fighter 6
I prefer playing Mortal Kombat 1 to Street Fighter 6 (despite its single-player mode Invasions already ageing), but I cannot deny that Street Fighter 6 trumps it in almost every category. World Tour is a lot of fun, and I wish Mortal Kombat 1 had a mode like it.
Best Family Game
My Pick: Super Mario Bros Wonder
Prediction: Super Mario Bros Wonder
I hate that this category, more often than not, ends up being “The Nintendo Award”, but I get it. Mario Wonder should win this one easily. It’s a fantastic game that made me care about 2D Mario again.
Best Sim/Strategy Game
My Pick: Pikmin 4
Prediction: Cities Skylines 2
I enjoyed Pikmin and hope it gets to shine a bit here, but Cities Skylines 2 was a really ambitious project, and although it launched with significant performance issues, I think it’ll still have done enough to win.
Best Sports/Racing Game
My Pick: EA SPORTS FC 24
Prediction: Forza Motorsport
FC 24 is the only nominee that has pro-clubs. Next.
Best Multiplayer Game
My Pick: Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Prediction: Baldur’s Gate 3
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the Dark Souls of Mario games.
Baldur’s Gate 3 probably wins.
Best Adaptation – The Super Mario Bros. Movie
My Pick: The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Prediction: The Last of Us
While The Last of Us looks incredible, I have yet to see it. As a result, The Mario Movie is my pick. I enjoyed it! TLOU wins at a canter, though.
Most Anticipated Game
My Pick: Star Wars Outlaws
Prediction: Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
I’m still not sure about this category existing. It’s rather weird. That said, Star Wars Outlaws looks the most fun out of the games listed. A Ubisoft open-world game playing as a rebel sounds like a recipe for success. FF7 Rebirth takes the crown.
Announcement Hopes and Dreams
I don’t have any expectations for announcements. Here’s what I’d realistically like to see:
-Alan Wake II New Game + Date / DLC tease
-Bioshock, but I’ll settle for Judas again
-Activision games on GamePass release date
-DS2 is a horror game (or Kojima is working on a separate horror game)
-Nintendo announced Switch 2 (LMFAO)
A Final Thought…
It truly has been an incredible year of gaming. Unfortunately, it’s been clouded by mass layoffs across the industry. I’m no financial expert, but when publishers are constantly bragging about games breaking sales records, surely there’s a way to ensure that those who have worked hard on all these different titles have some job security? The Game Awards has helped strengthen the legitimacy of video games as a creative medium, a piece of interactive art that is collaborated on by tens, hundreds, and sometimes thousands of developers from all walks of life. It’s about time executives caught up and prioritised the safety and well-being of developers over financial margins.
I hope Geoff will shine a light on this, even if it’s only a few lines. While The Game Awards is a celebration of games, it should also be a place where we champion the humans behind the games — and support them when they need it.