Every “Game of the Year” Nominee Ranked

Originally, I was going to rank the nine Game of the Year (Game Awards) winners since the first ceremony in 2014 … but I ain’t no slouch!

I’ll be ranking all fifty GOTY nominees from worst to best (mostly by my personal opinion), deciding whether they were worthy of a nomination in the first place – or if the wrong winner was selected that year.

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

Undeserved Nomination

These games were all nominated for the coveted award, but I felt they lacked the pristine or edge of the other entries in this list.

50 – Stray

Haha look at those cute little cats running around!!! Haha aren’t they just so adorable?!?

That’s probably what most players think after five minutes of playing “Stray”, but the cat gimmick gets old fast. The platforming is uninspired, the gameplay is minimal, and it was an insult to the other 49 nominees that this was in contention.

49 – PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

“PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” was really the first game of its genre, and that in itself is commendable. What I can’t commend, however, is the fact this got a GOTY nomination.

The game was still in beta, a.k.a. “unfinished”, when it got nominated, and it really doesn’t do anything that special gameplay-wise.

48 – Hearthstone

I’m not a fan of card games, so “Hearthstone” was always going to rank low on my list.

I get that there’s some cool gameplay and artwork on display, but was it really ground-breaking enough to be considered for Game of the Year?

47 – Fallout 4

I really love Bethesda game studios for games like DOOM and Elder Scrolls, but the Fallout franchise doesn’t do it for me.

“Fallout 4” is far from the best game in the series, and even though reception was positive on its release I think fans would admit that something’s missing.

46 – The Outer Worlds

“The Outer Worlds” should’ve been a smash hit – it’s got RPG elements in a space-themed open world, but it failed to capture the imagination.

Above all else, I just don’t really think it does enough to set itself apart from other generic RPGs. Although I may regret saying that when you find out where I put “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” in this ranking …

45 – The Last of Us Part II

The first game was a monumental achievement in videogame storytelling and acting, so hype for the sequel was through the roof. Sadly, “The Last of Us Part II” failed to deliver.

Though it won GOTY in 2020, I can’t help but feel that the controversial narrative and snail-paced gameplay innovation were overlooked by the Game Awards voters.

44 – Monster Hunter: World

I really want to love the Monster Hunter series, but the gameplay and complex UI design have always put me off.

“World” is a step in the right direction, I suppose, but it’s still too niche for my tastes.

43 – Death Stranding

Hideo Kojima’s grand vision and style of game-making is second to none, but “Death Stranding” ain’t it.

The cinematics / acting were cool, but the actual gameplay was boring. You know, that thing that makes up 90% of a game?

42 – Deathloop

“Deathloop” is a fun little game, but is it a masterpiece? Absolutely not.

I was never a fan of the “Dishonoured” style of gameplay to begin with, and this game was just that but with extra steps.

Sure, I Guess?

I’m not opposed to these games getting a nomination per se, but they’re nowhere near the same league as some of the very best.

41 – Inside

“Limbo” was a sort of cult classic back in the day, so a few in the Indie scene were looking forward to the developers’ sequel.

What we got – “Inside” – has a cool vibe and some interesting gameplay at points, but I wanted more.

40 – A Plague Tale: Requiem

One of the most forgettable GOTY nominees ever, “A Plague Tale: Requiem” came and went in 2022.

It has good gameplay and a good story, but that’s all it is – good. To win the award, you need to be great.

39 – Super Mario Maker

“Super Mario Maker” is a bit of a weird nominee, as your enjoyment of the game will depend largely on the community levels you choose to attempt.

I have to give Nintendo props, though – it’s a really fun sandbox, and they built on the foundations for the sequel.

38 – Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Everyone and their mum was into “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” during the pandemic, but it’s hardly GOTY matieral.

It’s charming, it’s harmless, but overall a GOTY winner needs to be bolder.

37 – Dragon Age: Inquisition

The first ever winner of GOTY in 2014, “Dragon Age: Inquisition” was big at the time but has since faded into obscurity.

Most of its RPG elements and world design have been done ten times better in the decade since, and I can’t help but feel that there were much more deserving nominees that year.

36 – Dark Souls II

The black sheep of the Dark Souls franchise, “Dark Souls II” still has that FromSoftware flair but many consider it to be the weakest in the franchise.

The lore, boss design and world were still great, but the new gameplay mechanics – including altered healing and death systems – makes this a hard one to revisit.

35 – Titanfall 2

The original “Titanfall” was a bit of a sleeper hit, and its sequel improved the gameplay in every way.

This was never the type of game that would take home the award, but I can respect it for its fast-paced action.

34 – Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Other than the “Persona” franchise, I’ve never really been into JRPGs (and die-hard enthusiasts would probably say that Persona isn’t an authentic JRPG!).

“Xenoblade Chronicles” is always a series that gets floated around the “best JRPGs” conversation, and the third entry looks good, but from what I’ve seen I can’t imagine this is better than the games I’ve ranked higher.

33 – Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

An open-world Metal Gear Solid should’ve been a smash hit, but “The Phantom Pain” stumbles in some core areas.

The narrative gets downright ridiculous by the final act, and the core gameplay loop didn’t do enough to entice me.

32 – Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

My guilty pleasure Assassins’s Creed game, “Odyssey” is mostly reviled by the fandom but I think there’s a magic buried within it.

Yes the story is paper-thin, yes the RPG progression is extremely unbalanced, but the expansive Greek world and uproarious combat / dialogue makes this such a fun, but fundamentally flawed, game.

Deserved Nomination

This one’s a fairly simple category – all of these games were good enough for nomination, and they did the industry proud.

31 – Psychonauts 2

A sequel to a cult classic from donkeys’ years ago, “Psychonauts 2” should’ve been forgettable but ended up being quite fun.

You don’t see enough classic child-friendly platformers other than Mario these days, so I think this game deserved a nomination for that fact alone.

30 – Resident Evil Village

“Resident Evil Village” is a great game that improves upon its predecessor in every way, but I feel that RE7 was more deserving of award recognition.

Credit where credit is due, “Village” has an awesome world and cast of characters, and you can tell the developers are growing comfortable in the new first-person style.

29 – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Winner of GOTY in 2019, “Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice” was yet another FromSoftware masterclass in worldbuilding and gruelling combat.

The combat design in particular is fantastic, albeit hard to adjust to, and I hope they make an ambitious sequel with an even bigger scope.

28 – Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Like with “Psychonauts 2”, I wasn’t sure if “Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart” was going to recapture the magic of the nostalgic entries.

Not only did it excel in updating the style to modern audiences, but it may even be the best game in the series.

27 – Metroid Dread

It was about time we got a new Metroid game, and “Metroid Dread” delivered.

It took all of the best inspiration from games like Hollow Knight and Dark Souls to create a modern Metroidvania classic, reaching the heights of the older entries.

26 – Horizon Zero Dawn

“Horizon Zero Dawn” looked like yet another open world flub back in 2017, but that assessment couldn’t have been more wrong.

The combat is pulsating, the open world is fun to explore, and the creature design is some of the best I’ve ever seen.

25 – It Takes Two

“It Takes Two” won GOTY in 2021, and I think that was deserved. It was a bit of a weak year after all …

The co-op gameplay is designed perfectly, and the style and story surprised critics and enamoured players.

24 – Bayonetta 2

The “Bayonetta” series has always been some of the most action-packed gameplay you can get, and the sequel is the best of the bunch.

You can tell the developers went all-out in creating the most batshit crazy experience possible, and it paid off.

23 – Overwatch

There was a time when “Overwatch” was king of the gaming world, even winning GOTY in 2016. How times have changed …

In its day, it was some of the best online PvP you could get, and the voice acting was fun too.

22 – Red Dead Redemption 2

I’ve always been lukewarm towards “Red Dead Redemption 2”, but I can’t deny the level of detail that went into its design.

There will never be another cowboy open world like it, and Rockstar are the masters of constructing open world sandboxes for you to use and abuse to your heart’s content.

21 – Ghost of Tsushima

In an era where open worlds are becoming far too common and clumsy, “Ghost of Tsushima” came and reminded us that the format still works.

The swordplay is phenomenal, the open world is meticulously designed and rendered, and the story was more in-depth than I expected.

20 – Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

The definitive party game, “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” is the perfect place to dunk on your friends and have a blast while doing it.

Combat and movement is so fluid and intuitive, and the various characters to play as never get stale.

19 – Horizon Forbidden West

The sequel to the modern classic of 2017, “Horizon Forbidden West” takes the foundation set by the original and runs with it.

This was never the type of game that would win the ultimate award, but the gameplay and open world were as fun as ever.

Lots Of Fun

Not only did these games thoroughly deserve a nomination, they were so much fun to play. I wouldn’t have complained if any of these took home the prize.

18 – Control

“Control” seemed a bit too weird when I saw its trailer and gameplay footage, but I should know by now not to judge a book by its cover.

Every now and again I’ll boot it up one more time to experience its phenomenal gameplay and mind-bending story.

17 – Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

Nobody was expecting much from a knock-off Lord of the Rings game, but “Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor” blew everyone’s socks off.

Talion and Celebrimbor’s story is masterfully handled, and the Nemesis System made Middle-earth feel alive. Should’ve won GOTY in 2014 over “Dragon Age: Inquisition”.

16 – Final Fantasy VII Remake

It’s Final Fantasy VII. They remade it for modern consoles. Of course it was awesome.

The gameplay and visuals have been updated for the modern age, and I don’t think they could’ve done any better.

15 – God of War

Winner of GOTY in 2018, “God of War” was one of those gaming reboots that could’ve gone either way, but luckily the developers knocked it out of the park.

The combat is visceral, the open world stunning, and the one-take approach to cutscenes made the entire thing super engrossing.

14 – Super Mario Odyssey

I grew up with the likes of “Mario Galaxy”, and the more recent Mario entries like “3D World” had some phenomenal platforming and world design, but “Odyssey” was the combination of all of Nintendo’s strengths.

Open-world Mario was just what the doctor ordered – the vast variety of Moons to collect was staggering, and the wildly different worlds and power-ups meant there was never a dull moment.

13 – Hades

Roguelikes aren’t my thing, but the Greek-inspired world and characters in “Hades” made me vaguely interested at first.

It quickly won me over with its in-depth combat and upgrade system, and I found myself playing for “just one more run” over and over again.

12 – Bloodborne

FromSoftware took a break from the Dark Souls series to make a super dark, super challenging, unique title exclusively for PlayStation. The risk paid off.

“Bloodborne” has some of the best world design and bosses of any Souls game, and many fans of the genre frequently cite this as their favourite.

11 – Marvel’s Spider-Man

Other than the Arkham games, a lot of superhero videogame adaptations felt tacky and underdeveloped … until “Marvel’s Spider-Man” came swinging along.

The original story was exceptionally crafted, the voice acting was masterful, and the level design – and just generally swinging through a vibrant New York City – had never been better.

10 – Resident Evil 2

Maybe it’s because Hollywood has soured the prospect, but when I heard the term “remake” I immediately expected the worst.

“Resident Evil 2” not only excels in remaking a classic, but it provides the best horror game experience I’ve played thus far. I think it even deserved to win GOTY in 2019 over “Sekiro”.

Amazing

These games were all incredible, and should consider themselves unlucky if they didn’t win GOTY.

9 – Celeste

“Celeste” is an Indie game that’s so profound, so advanced with its platforming, and so brilliantly designed across the board that I think it should’ve beaten the likes of “God of War” to GOTY in 2018.

Its soundtrack slaps across the board, the themes of self-loathing and despair will affect almost every player, and the challenging platforming continued to add new mechanics and dynamics late into the runtime.

8 – Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

The “Uncharted” series has always been a pioneer for show-stopping action-adventure, and its fourth and final entry “A Thief’s End” wears its best aspects on its sleeve.

It has all of the crazy action set-pieces that you’d expect, with some brilliant acting performances to give the whole thing heart.

7 – DOOM

Other than the fact its sequel improved upon it in almost every way, 2016’s “DOOM” is one of the most perfect FPS games of all time.

Never before has ripping and tearing been so goddamn entertaining, and the moment to moment action is second to none. I’m still a little salty that “Overwatch” pipped it to GOTY.

6 – Persona 5

It’s worth keeping in mind that this entry is only looking at the base game and not Royal (otherwise it would’ve cracked the top 3), but “Persona 5” still remains one of my favourite gaming experiences ever.

The turn-based combat is exceptional, the characters are engaging, and the story of the Phantom Thieves changing the hearts of the wicked affected me more than it had any right to.

5 – God of War Ragnarok

A sequel to an already near-perfect game that expands upon the gameplay and story in every way? Sign me up!

“God of War Ragnarok” does what any good sequel should do – it justifies its own existence, expands upon its world building, and goes bigger and bolder with its action.

4 – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

If it wasn’t for the fact its sequel “Tears of the Kingdom” smoked it out of the water in every department, “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” would still be considered one of the best games of all time.

Never before had the Zelda format translated so seamlessly to an open world, and the sheer amount of engaging content was staggering. It won GOTY in 2017, and that was thoroughly deserved.

GOATed

These three titles are shining examples of videogames done right. They’re perfect in almost every way, and will be remembered as some of the best the industry had to offer.

3 – DOOM Eternal

I remember finishing “DOOM Eternal” and feeling somewhat disappointed. Where was the UI of DOOM 2016? Why the random story interruptions at points?

On a replay, however, I came to appreciate the sheer game design mastery on display. The combat momentum is second to none, and I don’t think a better FPS will release for quite some time – “Eternal” should’ve easily won GOTY in 2020 over “The Last of Us Part II”, and I’m still miffed about it.

2 – Elden Ring

“Dark Souls” seemed like the no-brainer franchise to translate to open world, and yet the prospect was daunting. Would such a creative risk be worthwhile? The answer was a resounding yes.

I’ve never explored an open world quite like in “Elden Ring”, and I was propelled towards discovery during every moment of intense gameplay. A deserved winner of GOTY in 2022.

1 – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Even though “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” is my favourite game of all time, I had to take an objective stance for this list. Does it really compare to the other 49 games on this list?

As much as I wanted to pick apart any flaws, I simply couldn’t. The story, characters and world are breath-taking, and the combat / gameplay / enemy variety still blows me away eight years later. It won GOTY in 2015, and that accolade has never been more deserved.

Aaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below: