Drama, shock, elation, outrage, vindication, and a whole heap more emotions for the fans and creators of all the lauded titles vying for position in the 2022 Steam Awards. Millions voted and the winners in all categories have been revealed. The competition was tight in several of the categories, but there can only be one winner.
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The limelight is generally hogged by the coveted Game Of The Year award, but that didn’t stop several other titles from raising the bar in their respective categories and standing out from the crowd. Every award at the 2022 Steam Awards was highly contested, with all of the winners being worthy of their accolades.
Best Game On The Go
Contenders
This was something of a twist for several gamers who were expecting a different result in this category, assuming the winner would be something a little more casual or pick-up-and-play. In addition, the main game was released in 2019, so some thought theDirector’s Cut versionmay not qualify for consideration. However, with all due respect toDeath Stranding, it is an absolutely superb game, and the developers have worked very hard to make the experience very fluid and enjoyable on the Steam Deck.
Sit Back And Relax
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TheLEGO Star Warsseries has won over the hearts of many gamers with itscreative interpretations of the Star Wars universefrom many different perspectives. While utter relaxation may not be the first thing that comes to mind when gamers think ofThe Skywalker Saga, the simple fact that enough fans are happy to classify it as their go-to game for chilling out speaks volumes about the sheer homely comfort it exudes.
Outstanding Story-Rich Game
Garnering Overwhelmingly Positive Steam reviews and a very healthy Metacritic rating,God of Warhas really captured the imagination of the PC gaming world. Despite starting life as a Playstation exclusive, PC gamers have made their voice heard that they appreciatedthe epic adventures of Kratosand the gripping storyline that sucks players in from start to finish.
Best Soundtrack
TheFinal Fantasy VIIstory started over two decades ago, released on PlayStation. While the whole series has a huge fanbase, fans especially doted over number VII, which simply veered into the sublime. The recent remakes and remasters are trying to recreate that original magic, and are doing a superb job of it,which PC gamers are appreciating. The soundtrack in this latest segment is frankly a masterpiece. It captures the essence of what burned itself into the souls of gamers all those years ago and uplifts it even further into modern, magnificent brilliance.
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There was very little doubt as to which title would win this award.Elden Ringhas been a worldwide sensation in the gaming world, but it has made quite a reputation for being relentlessly difficult. Online discussions rage as to why some parts are so deep, so complicated, and just inexplicably difficult. Many players rely on careful research and preparation using wikis before even attempting parts of the game. New players will suck, and they will struggle. So to quote various internet trolls, ‘don’t git mad, git gud!’
Most Innovative Gameplay
So many gamers breathed a sigh of relief when they sawStraytake this rather special award. It won over so many hearts with its fascinating insight into the unpredictable behavior and whimsical mischief that characterizes cats. There are not many cat simulators around, and this undoubtedly takes the crown ofsuch a niche market. The storyline is moving and leaves players with the feeling that they just experienced something quite special and out-of-the-ordinary.
Outstanding Visual Style
Sometimes this award can be won by a game that revolutionizes a particular visual style or creates an entirely new style of its own. TIn 2022, however, the award goes to the result of a gargantuan effort by a very talented team, not for creating something new, but rather tweaking and perfecting the exquisiteSpider-Mangame world. The visuals are so glorious and so sumptuous they are almost drinkable.
Better With Friends
This title really took the gaming world by storm in 2022. The survival genre is really shining right now, andRaftexemplifies how to do it right. Yet, like so many survival games, the experience in single-player is good, but the cooperative multiplayer sends it soaring into greatness. Some things are just designed to be shared with friends.
Labor Of Love
The Labor of Love award can go in two different directions. On the one hand, it can highlight a game whose developers have always been working hard on it, always updating and tweaking in response to community feedback. Alternatively, it can also go to a game that was utterly broken at launch but has had a lot of time invested in it to make the experience playable again.Cyberpunk 2077takes the dubious privilege of being the latter. It was condemned for being released too early, beingso buggy it was almost unplayable. With credit to the developers though, they patched it up well enough to win this award.
VR Game Of The Year
Not many saw this one coming.Hitman 3’s VR seemed to be a bolted-on feature that wasroundly maligned by many gamerswho felt it to be buggy, unintuitive and unreliable. There have been a number of far higher-rated VR games released in 2022. The people have spoken, however, so who can argue? At the very least it gives the green light to developers wondering if they should add a VR mode to their game.
Game of the Year
This is it, the big one! Hearty congratulations to the designers and the developers.Elden Ringjust ticks so many boxes. Solid gameplay, majestic game environments, mind-blowing graphics, exquisite audio, and so much freedom and replayability. As well as singleplayer, the addition of co-op and PvP multiplayer just adds another layer of depth and content.Elden Ringtruly deserves the crown in 2022.
