Here is the conclusion to “My Thoughts On The Game Of The Year Winners And Nominees That I’ve Played Part 1” and Part 2.
Game of the Year 2018 Nominee – Celeste
It was only recently when I got around to playing Celeste and it ended up becoming one of the most interesting experiences I’ve ever had with a video game. I adore platformers and have played enough that you can be confident when I say that Celeste deserves its place as being one of the greatest platformers ever made. The controls are quite basic but are so refined that it feels incredibly satisfying to make precise jumps and avoid obstacles. It’s the level design though that allows this gameplay to truly shine with each chapter introducing new gameplay mechanics that function incredibly well and challenges that are part platforming skill and part puzzle. The game can get absolutely brutal when you start start exploring the C-sides and especially Chapter 9 which I can honestly say was one of the hardest challenges I’ve ever completed in a video game but the game itself never felt unfair, allowing me to enjoy the game and never get frustrated. Another surprising element which I was not expecting was a good story which sees the main character, Madeline, climbing a mountain as a challenge to herself to try to overcome her depression and panic attacks. Platformers are not often known for their superb storytelling so the fact that Celeste’s proved to be so endearing and thought-provoking was a pleasant surprise.
Did it deserve to win/be nominated? – Yes.
Game of the Year 2019 Nominee – Control
Control is an interesting game. Described sometimes as a 3D metroidvania, Control sees you dealing with multidimensional shifts in reality while exploring a building, gaining new powers that allow you to access new areas of the map. The gunplay of the game is satisfying, the powers you earn along the way are cool and change the way you approach combat and the graphics are great. However, I did find the story and characters to be quite unmemorable and many of the locations to feel overly similar. I left Control feeling satisfied but in a way that was merely fun, a disposable experience if you will.
Did it deserve to win/be nominated? – No.
Game of the Year 2019 Nominee – Resident Evil 2
This is the remake of the original Resident Evil 2 and while it might not be my favourite Resident Evil game, that honour goes to the remake of the original Resident Evil, it’s still a fantastic example of what a survival horror game should be. In contrast to the fixed camera of the original, the remake used an over the shoulder camera but it’s pretty loyal beyond that with areas that you have to explore thoroughly to make the best use of resources and to find solutions to puzzles. Besides that, the constant pursuit of Mr. X is a continual source of surprise and terror as he’s always following, perhaps not very quickly but with a laser focus of catching up to and murdering you. It’s also worth mentioning that the game features two campaigns, one from the perspective of Leon S. Kennedy and the other from Claire Redfield, which are distinct from each other and satisfying to play one after the other. The remake of Resident Evil 2 continued the return to form of the franchise that Resident Evil 7 had began years before and was a much needed release in an industry where horror is all too often subservient to action.
Did it deserve to win/be nominated? – Yes.
Game of the Year 2019 Winner – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
I wasn’t sure what to think about Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice when I first heard about it and waited for a long while before finally picking it up in a sale and playing. In the same way that Celeste proved to be a profound experience, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice quickly exceeded my expectations and made me realise that I was playing a masterpiece. The combat of Sekiro is so unique and incredible that it can be hard to describe sometimes. As noted in my review on UK Anime Network, the combat takes the idea of parrying from the Dark Souls series and develops an entire combat system around it, deflecting at the right time to chip away at your opponent’s posture until they finally break, allowing you to inflict a deathblow on them. Supporting this is a superb stealth system where clearing out targets is immensely satisfying and often allows you to gain the upper hand on groups of enemies and minibosses. Speaking of, Sekiro has some of the best bosses ever created in video games with each proving to be a worthy and distinct challenge that pushes your mastery of the combat system to the limit. The story itself is also superb with moments that I can only describe as wondrous and emotional and multiple endings that are all excellent in their own way. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice oozes so much polish, quality and innovation that I believe that it’s the perfect example of what a Game of the Year should be.
Did it deserve to win/be nominated? – Yes! Yes! A thousand times YES!
Game of the Year 2022 Winner – Elden Ring
Similarly to Sekiro, I was mildly concerned when I learned that Elden Ring was going to be an open-world game as I’ve a general distaste for them due to long travel times, an emphasis on quantity over quality and a lack of meaningful exploration due to too many map markers. Still, I had faith in FromSoftware and began playing as soon as it was released. What I encountered was what I consider to be the best implementation of an open-world that I’ve ever encountered in a video game. The environment, design and art all lead you to interesting locations without straight up telling you where they are and what to expect there. Travel is even fun with your horse, Torrent, feeling satisfying to control and the inclusion of double jump was genius! Admittedly though, I did find myself wishing that the game was a little more linear and directed over the course of my playtime but that’s mainly due to my personal feelings about open world games. The combat is quite similar to the Souls games but with some differences such as being able to use stealth, spirit ashes and mounted combat which offers the player great variety in how they build their character and how to tackle enemies. While I wouldn’t go so far as to call Elden Ring a masterpiece in the same way as Sekiro, I firmly believe that Elden Ring can serve as a great inspiration to game designers figuring out how best to implement open-world into their game.
Did it deserve to win/be nominated? – Yes.
I’m sure that some of my opinions will prove controversial but I thought they’d be interesting to share nonetheless. After all, what games deserve to win/be nominated for game of the year is completely subjective. Let me know your thoughts on these game of the year winners and nominees that I’ve played, which game of the year winners/nominees you’ve played, which ones you’ve like or disliked and, more importantly, which you think deserved or didn’t deserve to win/be nominated and any additional information you might have on the topic.
Thanks for reading and if you wish to seek any of the titles I mentioned, don’t hesitate to use amazon.co.uk or amazon.com for all of your needs! Also feel free to follow my curator page on Steam “JRPG Reviews” for thoughts and opinions on any JRPGs that I play and my YouTube channel “Victory Achieved Gaming” where I guide my friend through challenging games.