golden joystick awards 2022 nominees

3 min read 22-11-2024

The Golden Joystick Awards, a prestigious celebration of video game excellence, unveiled its 2022 nominees, showcasing a diverse range of titles across various genres. This year's nominations represent a compelling snapshot of the gaming landscape, highlighting both critically acclaimed giants and indie darlings. Let's delve into the key contenders vying for this year's coveted awards.

Top Nominees and Key Categories

The Golden Joystick Awards boast a wide array of categories, each reflecting the nuances of the gaming world. Some of the most anticipated categories and their leading nominees include:

Ultimate Game of the Year

This prestigious award pits the year's best games against each other in a battle for supremacy. The nominees often represent the pinnacle of gaming achievement, showcasing innovative gameplay, compelling narratives, and stunning visuals. The nominees for 2022 included heavy hitters like:

Elden Ring: FromSoftware's challenging yet rewarding open-world RPG captivated players with its vast landscapes and intricate combat.
God of War Ragnarök: The sequel to 2018's critically acclaimed title delivered a breathtaking cinematic experience, continuing Kratos's epic journey.
Horizon Forbidden West: Guerrilla Games expanded upon the captivating world of Aloy, delivering stunning visuals and a compelling narrative.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus: This title shook up the Pokémon formula with its open-world approach and action-oriented gameplay.
Stray: This unique indie title let players explore a captivating world from the perspective of a cat.

Best Storytelling

Narrative-driven games are a cornerstone of the gaming industry. The nominees for Best Storytelling in 2022 highlighted titles that successfully captivated players through immersive and engaging narratives. We saw titles such as:

God of War Ragnarök: The emotional depth and compelling father-son dynamic at the heart of the story captivated players.
Elden Ring: While less explicitly narrative-driven than others, Elden Ring's cryptic lore and impactful boss encounters contributed to a strong narrative experience.
A Plague Tale: Requiem: This sequel delivered a gripping story of survival and resilience during the Black Death.
Immortality: This unique interactive film experience allowed players to piece together a mystery through exploring different video clips.

Best Visual Design

Visual fidelity has become increasingly important in gaming. These nominees showcased titles that pushed the boundaries of graphical capabilities:

Horizon Forbidden West: The sheer scale and detail of the game's environments were breathtaking.
God of War Ragnarök: The game's cinematic presentation and attention to detail were second to none.
Cyberpunk 2077: Though plagued with launch issues, Cyberpunk 2077's ambitious visuals remain impactful.

Other Notable Categories and Winners

Beyond the major categories, the Golden Joystick Awards featured numerous other awards recognizing excellence in specific areas, such as:

Best Indie Game
Best Multiplayer Game
Best Performance
Still Playing Award (recognizing games with lasting appeal)
Critics' Choice Award

Each category highlighted the diversity and innovation within the gaming industry, celebrating games across various genres and platforms.

The Significance of the Golden Joystick Awards

The Golden Joystick Awards holds a unique position in the gaming world. As one of the longest-running gaming awards shows, it represents a significant milestone in the gaming calendar. The awards provide a platform to recognize and celebrate the hard work and dedication of developers and publishers, driving innovation and creativity within the industry. The nominees themselves often become talking points within the gaming community, influencing purchase decisions and sparking conversations about the best games of the year.

Further Exploration:

For a complete list of nominees and winners, you can visit the official Golden Joystick Awards website. Many gaming news sites also provided comprehensive coverage of the event, including analyses of the nominees and predictions for the winners. The awards remain a key indicator of the year's best gaming experiences, offering valuable insight into the current trends and direction of the video game industry.