Ranking the games with the most Game Awards nominations is a tough task. At most, these games can be sorted according to their impact on their company, the industry, or fans of their genre. Even among the most divisive fans, it’s undeniable that games like Baldur’s Gate 3, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Elden Ring changed gaming for the better.

Related

5 Categories Missing From The Game Awards

The following categories should be added to The Game Awards to ensure that notable achievements are being rewarded.

Despite these qualifiers, ranking the most nominated Game Awards games boils down to player preference. The Game Awards includes most titles that a majority of gamers played and talked about throughout their year of nomination. Regardless of which title readers like the most, every game on the list is deserving of their nominations and wins.

17

Stray

Emotional 7+ Hours Pushes Limits For Narrative Game

Systems

Released

July 19, 2022

Developer(s)

BlueTwelve Studio

How Long To Beat

5 Hours

From the jump, Stray promised a post-apocalyptic, half-cyberpunk world ripe for exploration. BlueTwelve Studio delivered that and more by populating the sealed world with stories about humanity, despite the lack of humans. Robots, records, and the environment are made for musings on loneliness, environmental destruction, and social stratification.

Being an Annapurna Interactive-published game, Stray is a story-first game. Difficulty is almost non-existent and gameplay serves to immerse players in a world where design follows plot rather than logic at times. Stray pushes what narrative games can do in terms of making a fully realized game rather than a story with extra steps.

16

Deathloop

Numerous Side-streets To One Critical Path In Timeloop Puzzle

Systems

Released

September 14, 2021

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

How Long To Beat

17 Hours

Cross-Platform Play

PC, PS5 & Xbox Series X|S

Deathloop was lauded for the hundreds of different ways gamers can play around the perfect timeloop. Its critical path also makes it forgiving to players who may be lost if Deathloop allowed any divergent solutions to its puzzles to pan out.

Another unique, yet divisive, Deathloop element is its invasion system. Dark Souls and similar games allow gamers to invade others’ single-player campaigns, but Deathloop’s implementation supports its timeloop goals. Successful invasions force players to outsmart invaders and explore new ways of playing each loop.

15

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

2024 Golden Joystick Awards’ Storytelling Winner Balances Fidelity & Remake

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Systems

Released

February 29, 2024

Developer(s)

Square Enix

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth continues the new series’ compromise between remake and reimagining. Despite its alternative timeline, key events still progress as they did in the 1997 classic. The resulting game split opinions among fans, but Rebirth undeniably retained the themes and plot beats that made FF7 well-loved while modernizing the title.

Related

8 Great Games From 2024 That Weren’t Nominated For The Game Awards, Ranked

The nominees for The Game Awards 2024 have been announced, and while many great games were included, these games were sadly left out.

Classic fans are given new ways to appreciate Cloud, Aerith, Zack, Sephiroth, and the crew. New fans, on the other hand, continue to enjoy the quality of life changes expected from modern titles, while enjoying refreshed takes on anti-capitalism, loss, life, and self-determination.

14

Horizon Forbidden West

An Open World That Makes Exploration Fun

Systems

Released

March 21, 2024

How Long To Beat

30 Hours

A consistent perception about Horizon is how it’s released on the same day as other triple-A releases that overshadow it on mainstream channels. Despite that, Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West were received well. More than that, Horizon became synonymous with having a living world that was fun to explore.

Horizon Forbidden West’s traversal kit made exploration fun on land, air, and sea even outside its compelling, top-notch story. Yet, the enlivened world wouldn’t be as fun to explore if it weren’t for Guerilla Games’ dedication to crafting a visual feast worthy of its $212 million price tag.

13

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Playable Indiana Jones, A Cinematic Video Game GOAT

Systems

Released

May 10, 2016

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

How Long To Beat

15 Hours

It was a foregone conclusion that Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End would receive a ton of nominations before release. By the end of Nathan Drake’s journey, it was clear that Uncharted was a direct product of Naughty Dog’s commitment to hyper-realistic graphics, maximizing the PlayStation’s capabilities, and their cinematic aspirations.

Uncharted’s big moments, gameplay, and massive set pieces were unapologetic attempts to make gamers feel like they were playing Indiana Jones or other action movies. This core mission made the game, and other Naughty Dog darling The Last of Us, perfect for Hollywood adaptations. These titles also ensured the developer’s continued dedication to cinematic, adaptable titles.

12

The Last Of Us Part 2

Bridging Gameplay And Story Violence Coherently

Systems

Released

June 19, 2020

How Long To Beat

24 Hours

The term “ludonarrative dissonance” was coined in response to conflicting story and gameplay incentives and elements in video games. Uncharted 4 used the term as a trophy name for killing 1,000 enemies 9 years later, in acknowledgment of criticism about lead Nathan Drake’s glib gameplay violence versus his story characterization.

Ludonarrative dissonance would once again be used in reviews of another Naughty Dog game, The Last of Us 2. Except TLOU 2 seemingly overcame this gaming theory by making the story demand merciless bloodshed. Ellie and Abby’s grief- and trauma-fueled rampages complement TLOU 2’s brutal death animations for the goons players mow down.

Related

The Last of Us 2: 5 Things That Were Cut From The Game

The Last of Us 2 is already a big game, but it could have been even bigger if certain pieces of content weren’t cut from the final product.

It’s partly their complex, emotional, and messy journeys that made TLOU 2 highly nominated. TLOU 2 may feel bloated at times, but it shows what a triple-A game can do with complex characters, themes, and plots.

11

Hades

Art, Gameplay, And Music With Mass Appeal

Hades is a perfect storm of excellent art, music, gameplay, and player support. Excellent plot and characters had players run the underworld hundreds of times to get the full story behind Zagreus’ family and Greek gods and heroes. A blood-pumping soundtrack and fantastic art direction also made repeated runs a treat.

Its gameplay in particular especially stands out, as gamers of all skill levels are encouraged to put their rounds in the roguelite. Supergiant Games gave players God Mode from the start to toggle on if the action gets too tough. Gameplay equity allowed fans to explore every combination of weapon, keepsake, and boon available and learn the game inside-out.

10

Control

Refreshing World & Storytelling Backed By Fantastic Direction

Acting and cinematic-style storytelling go hand-in-hand with certain gaming genres by now. But Remedy reminded gamers of their mastery of cinematic games with Control. Facial animations jank aside, Control’s careful direction and atmospheric scene setting fully immersed players in a world of paranormal intrigue and existential horror.

Control also featured phenomenal ray-tracing application and destructible environments. Reflective surfaces and contrasting textures appear deliciously realistic with the game’s lighting engine and upscales its look even on low settings. Combined with a highly interactive environment, exploring the Federal Bureau of Control to see all it has to offer feels as mandatory as unraveling the excellent main plot.

9

Ghost of Tsushima

Love Letter To Akira Kurosawa With Good Research

Akira Kurosawa’s oeuvre inspired countless movies, shows, games, and outright remakes. Ghost of Tsushima wears Kurosawa’s mark proudly, even working with the director’s estate to craft a cinematic mode named after him. Beyond the look, Tsushima’s cinematic set pieces, particularly its stand-offs, and themes of revenge and tradition find roots in Kurosawa’s work.

Tsushima is also, plainly, a fun game to play rather than just philosophize about. Nailing stances and stance-switching transform combat from button-mashing to timed, movie-like combat sequences. Luckily for fans of either Tsushima’s writing or combat, they have Ghost of Yotei to look forward to.

8

Alan Wake 2

Survival Horror Confident In Its Influences

Systems

Released

October 27, 2023

How Long To Beat

17 Hours

Alan Wake 2 built on Control’s achievements by creating a darkly beautiful world preoccupied with telling a story. Remedy and Sam Lake’s confidence in their narrative and the influences they proudly display, from Twin Peaks, True Detective, Silent Hill, and Resident Evil in its main plot and characters, to Se7en and the Coen brothers for its visuals, and so much more.

Related

Developers With The Most Wins At The Game Awards, Ranked

The biggest developers at The Game Awards have won big for several years, but which of them has won the most?

The game never strays from what it wants the players to feel. Hand-holding might be a stretch, but Alan Wake 2 expertly guides players beat-to-beat to keep interest always pitched high. Even without familiarity with the massive library of mythological and pop cultural influences that form the game, players get the sense of a fully realized world that’s a blast to play through.

7

Astro Bot

2024 Game Of The Year Celebrates PlayStation & Gaming’s Legacy

Systems

Released

September 6, 2024

Developer(s)

Team Asobi

Astro Bot is a loving celebration of the PlayStation’s history and sheer fun of a good platforming game. It’s a no-frills trip down memory lane via adorable bot versions of characters from PlayStation-first or -identified franchises. PlayStation’s 30th-anniversary game also distilled what made the console iconic in the first place.

Strong exclusives, sequels, third-party support, demographic-breaking sleek design, and cross-generation appeal made the strong base of the PlayStation’s success. Astro Bot appealed to gamers regardless of age, genre preference, or familiarity with games, featured immensely marketable designs, and, most importantly, was plain fun to play with others even as a single-player game.

6

Death Stranding

Auteurism Bringing Hollywood And Videogames Together

No one with a working pair of eyes and passing familiarity with Hideo Kojima’s oeuvre can deny that movies are one of Kojima’s special interests. Death Stranding is the most tangible manifestation of Kojima’s cinephilia and a strong first entry for Kojima Productions.

Related

Death Stranding 2: 8 Theories And Speculations About The Game

Kojima hasn’t put out much concrete information on Death Stranding 2 yet, but that hasn’t stopped fans from coming up with these great theories.

Death Stranding was also unafraid to be both complex and complicated because it can mostly land what it tries to put down. Kojima Productions juggled dozens of overlapping themes, stories, and characters and managed to tie it down to the simple concept of connections. Even if not every beat or character lands with the player, gamers always find something that keeps Death Stranding on their mind.

5

Marvel’s Spider-Man 1 & 2

What Franchise Tie-Ups Should Aspire To Be

Systems

Released

October 20, 2023

How Long To Beat

17 hours

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a case study on what makes a franchise tie-up successful. Huge Sony budget and Marvel license pass aside, Spider-Man 2 successfully translated Peter Parker and Miles Morales’ superhuman abilities into gameplay that made players truly feel like Spider-Man.

Superb acting, a well-written story, gameplay-first environmental design, a combat system that’s fun to master, and a New York that feels alive made this caper one of the best Spider-Man games to date. Although the PC release is less than perfect, workarounds are on the way to bring it up to par.

4

God Of War & God Of War: Ragnarok

Maturing With Its Original Player Base

Systems

Released

November 9, 2022

How Long To Beat

26 Hours

God of War and God of War: Ragnarok made no bones about Kratos’ dark deeds and how his arrogance, vengefulness, and shortcomings continue to affect his life. But these sequels also showed Kratos grow up and out of anger, and mature into a man and father who did right by his son. By time alone, Kratos aged along with his original fan base, and the result is games that hit strong, and oftentimes relatable emotional beats.

God of War’s gameplay and visuals were also rehauled for the best. Midgard, Svartalfheim, Jotunheim, and the rest of the nine realms were visually stunning, and packed with combat that added flair to God of War’s combofest. Atreus’ addition was also a welcome addition and a breath of fresh air to the games.

3

Red Dead Redemption 2

Still An Open-World Worth Getting To Know

Any talk about triple-A games and pushing gaming conventions can’t be had without mentioning Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2). Released in 2018, RDR2 at the time revolutionized what video games can look like and set the standard for cinematic games. Arthur Morgan was more than Rockstar’s take on the cowboy archetype, and its story a bittersweet love letter to the bygone Western Frontier.

It doesn’t help that RDR2’s map was full of quests and collectibles that made it feel like a living depiction of the Wild West. Whereas some areas in Rockstar’s other open-world games feel empty, there’s always something players can do in every corner of RDR2’s states.

2

Elden Ring

Fantastic Story Hidden Under Uncompromising Gameplay

Systems

Released

February 25, 2022

Multiplayer

Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer

How Long To Beat

58 Hours

Cross-Platform Play

PS4 & PS5 and Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S

Elden Ring redefined what non-linear, open-world RPGs and FromSoftware’s genre-making gameplay could be. Lore-wise, the Lands Between was a fully realized world with a fascinating history, cultures lost and dying, and secrets beholden to experienced adventurers. Exploration was richly rewarded, and by opting for an open world with lands scaled by difficulty, players had bespoke experiences.

Soulslike fans were also blown away by Elden Ring’s combat potential. There was no one “correct” way of dealing with bosses and common enemies. As long as players find the right combination of weapons, ashes, and abilities, on top of understanding basic movement and stamina management, patient gamers can finish the game.

1

Baldur’s Gate 3

The New Standard For RPGS & Choice-Determined Games

Systems

Released

August 3, 2023

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

How Long To Beat

100+ Hours

Number of Players

1-4

Local Co-Op Support

1-2 Players

Expand

Baldur’s Gate 3 changed the standards for RPGs and choice-driven games in general. It made good on the cliched line of every choice mattering, as player decisions reverberate hours into the game, alter the world state, and change endings even at the last minute. Even the choice of spells in combat and party deployment can greatly alter quest solutions and outcomes.

Character creation also matters since race, class, and background unlock exclusive dialogue and paths. In the case of the Dark Urge, Baldur’s Gate 3 is almost an entirely different game. Having the option to play with up to three other players also had players willingly go through the 100+ hour game with separate single- and multiplayer runs.

Lastly, Larian Studio’s game support and community appreciation evidenced its continued passion for making crafted experiences, rather than chasing fads. And until its last patch, which will introduce 12 new subclasses that fans have been clamoring and modding for, Larian proved that large, Tencent-semi owned, studios can still provide focused experiences.

More

The Game Awards: 8 Games That Should Have Been Nominated For GOTY In Previous Years

Over the years, some truly remarkable titles have been nominated for GOTY at The Game Awards. Here are some of the best that didn’t make the cut.