The Golden Joystick Awards 2022

  • Best Storytelling - Horizon Forbidden West
  • Still Playing Award - Genshin Impact
  • Best Visual Design - Elden Ring
  • Studio of the Year - From Software
  • Best Game Expansion - Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course
  • Best Early Access Launch - Slime Rancher 2
  • Best Indie Game Cult of the Lamb
  • Best Multiplayer Game - Elden Ring
  • Best Audio - Metal: Hellsinger
  • Best Game Trailer - Goat Simulator 3 Announcement Trailer
  • Best Game Community - Final Fantasy 14
  • Best Gaming Hardware - Steam Deck
  • Breakthrough Award - Vampire Survivors
  • Critics’ Choice Award - Elden Ring
  • Best Performer - Manon Gage (Marissa Marcel, Immortality)
  • Nintendo Game of the Year - Pokemon Legends Arceus
  • PC Game of the Year - Return to Monkey Island
  • PlayStation Game of the Year- Stray
  • Xbox Game of the Year - Grounded
  • Most Wanted Game - Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
  • Ultimate Game of the Year - Elden Ring
3 Likes

Hey gaming media, I totally care about game awards, I really do, honest.

I love award season. It’s good to raise awareness of gaming as a whole but also specific games in particular.

The discourse behind them all helps elevate gaming, even if it’s us arguing the merits of different games.

Also, it’s just nice for devs to get a pat on the back for what can often be a thankless job, locked away in dark rooms for month/years on end. Give the geeks a reason to wear a posh frock. Feel like a celebrity for the day.

2 Likes

You and me both. Although I suspect that, based on all the snark people feel the need to spout, on XboxEra we are in the minority. :yum:

But yeah, I agree with your reasons for loving it. I’d add that I love it because it is yet another way for me to engage with a hobby I enjoy.

For any activity I feel passionate about I like not just doing the activity, but also to engage with it in tangential ways. Like posting on forums, reading articles, watching documentaries, and yes, watching awards shows for those hobbies that have them.

If they had an awards show for say… disc golf, you can bet I’d watch that too. “Best Looking New Disc Design” or “Most Impressive Tournament Ace” or “Best YouTube Channel.” It all sounds fun to me.

But alas, I have to contend with movies and videogames. :smiling_face_with_tear: :wink:

Glad to see Immortality pick up an award, such a great, unique title.

Tunic unfortunately didn’t win anything, as great as I thought the game was, it probably won’t go home with any awards.

That said, I do enjoy award season for games, but I don’t tend to participate in them often.

2 Likes

Strange. I couldn’t connect with Immortality. I say that as a bit of an outlier. Namely, that of all of Barlow’s big 3, the one I loved was Telling Lies.

In Immortality, I never got that feeling of discovering a clue, or solving a puzzle. I just felt like I was watching a ton of videos.

I’ve already booked the day off work on the day after TGAs so I can stay up all night and watch it.

2 Likes

I haven’t played Telling Lies, so can’t comment on that, but Immortality definitely leaves a lot for the “player” to interpret as to what’s going on, and if you’ve missed certain scenes, then you’ll be none the wiser. I came across this video yesterday, which I think is an essential view for anyone who’s done with the game:

Whilst the headline kind of implies it’s only about one specific scene, he covers quite a lot of what’s happening thoughout.