Bartski
Gold Member
You guessed it, God of War Ragnarok sweeps
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The polls are closed and your votes counted for the PlayStation Blog Game of the Year 2022. The winners of these awards, spanning 16 categories, have been shaped entirely by player choice. A thank you to everyone who voted and – given the strength of titles released in the past 12 months – were stuck with some difficult decisions to make. And of course, our thanks to all the studios whose games have helped define PlayStation’s 2022.
Now, on to the winners!
Cat | Stray
Odin | God of War Ragnarök
Malenia | Elden Ring
Boy Atreus clearly resonated with many. We won’t go into specifics here so not to spoil anything for those still exploring the Nine Realms, but with fates in the balance, character arcs deepening our understanding of favorite characters and beats that caused us to catch our breath, Santa Monica Studio took on the unenviable challenge of following up a highly celebrated story with another that matched it both for spectacle and moments that resonated.
The Last of Us Part I
Elden Ring
Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West
Elden Ring
Call of Duty Modern Warfare II
Elden Ring
Horizon Forbidden West
Stray
View and download image
Elden Ring
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Horizon Forbidden West
View and download image
Elden Ring
The Last of Us Part I
Horizon Forbidden West
The Last of Us Part I
Horizon Forbidden West
FIFA 23
Horizon Forbidden West
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Stray
View and download image
Overwatch 2
FIFA 23
Gran Turismo 7
PS4 and PS5 Game of the Year
Best Use of DualSense
Best Accessibility Features
Soundtrack of the Year
Best Audio Design
Best Art Direction
PlayStation Graphical Showcase
Best Story
Best New Character
via:
The polls are closed and your votes counted for the PlayStation Blog Game of the Year 2022. The winners of these awards, spanning 16 categories, have been shaped entirely by player choice. A thank you to everyone who voted and – given the strength of titles released in the past 12 months – were stuck with some difficult decisions to make. And of course, our thanks to all the studios whose games have helped define PlayStation’s 2022.
Now, on to the winners!
Best New Character
Thor | God of War Ragnarök
2022 wasn’t short of memorable performances and iconic figures. For every fan sketch of Elden Ring’s fearsome Malenia, there was a cat owner seeing characteristics of their own finely-furred companion in Stray’s feline lead. And despite both offering riveting performances, a masterclass in manipulation could not outclass the heft – and directness – of a hammer. Father lost out to son, as Thor places Mjölnir down to hold aloft the Platinum Trophy for this year’s Best New Character award.
Cat | Stray
Odin | God of War Ragnarök
Malenia | Elden Ring
Best Story
God of War Ragnarök
The next chapter in the story of Kratos and
The Last of Us Part I
Elden Ring
Horizon Forbidden West
PlayStation Graphical Showcase
God of War Ragnarök
All the top contenders for this category leveraged stellar performances across PS4 and PS5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II was lauded for its near-photorealistic rendering of Amsterdam. FromSoftware’s Limgrave was an open world as beautiful as it was dangerous. Guerrilla’s sprawling landscapes were dense with lush foliage, epic machine battles and Photo mode-worthy sunsets. Category winner God of War Ragnarok packed Nine Realms-worth visual splendor for a powerhouse performance on both consoles. Congratulations to Santa Monica Studio and the other winners for making our collective jaws drop, time and time again.
Horizon Forbidden West
Elden Ring
Call of Duty Modern Warfare II
Best Art Direction
God of War Ragnarök
The artists behind 2022’s top titles were firing on all creative cylinders. We marveled at myriad sights, from the blood-red skies and rotting dragons of Elden Ring’s Caelid to the mysterious runes of Horizon Forbidden West’s sandswept Las Vegas. However, it was Santa Monica Studio’s fusion of photorealism and mythical fantasy that captured PlayStation players’ imaginations. The dev team delivered nine visually distinct realms each experiencing the effects of Fimbulwinter with unique visual flair. That’s not even to mention the colorful blasts punctuating each of Angrboda’s supporting attacks, turning the battlefield into a piece of art by itself. Hats off to these talented teams establishing unforgettable artistic visions for 2022’s best games.
Elden Ring
Horizon Forbidden West
Stray
Best Audio Design
God of War Ragnarök
The solid thud of caught axe meeting palm. The distant yet distinct howl of an inbound great evil. Chatter from a nearby settlement intermixing with the uneven thrum of a mechanized, grazing herd. Experiences that resonate without the need to witness the source, audio that conjures up an image the instance it’s heard. All these games were as superlative on the ear as they were the eye, whether you’d paused on your journey to soak in the sounds around you, had the thrill of combat reinforced by the crack of great sound design, or tracked danger through ear and audio cues alone.
Elden Ring
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Horizon Forbidden West
Soundtrack of the Year
God of War Ragnarök
As Kratos and Atreus forged a stronger relationship throughout God of War Ragnarök, Bear McCreary’s epic score added bombast and subtlety at every turn. From heart-pounding action sequences to intimate moments of reflection, the score doubles as the game’s beating heart. Fans also lended an ear and their heartfelt support to the sounds of Elden Ring, The Last of Us Part I, and Horizon Forbidden West.
Elden Ring
The Last of Us Part I
Horizon Forbidden West
Best Accessibility Features
God of War Ragnarök
Santa Monica Studio has produced not only a masterpiece with God of War Ragnarök, but also a masterclass in accessibility and inclusive design thanks to the customisation offered by the 70+ accessibility features. The team’s commitment to accessibility has ensured that the nine realms are open to everyone!
The Last of Us Part I
Horizon Forbidden West
FIFA 23
Best Use of DualSense
God of War Ragnarök
The PS5 DualSense controller continues to add additional immersion into our favorite games from this year. Its adaptive triggers have translated the tautness of a bow in Horizon Forbidden West and offered sensory differentials to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II’s arsenal. Our ears have been tickled with meows and the tactile sensation of paw scratches in Stray with the controller’s speaker and haptic feedback respectively. As equally grand, and topping out this category is God of War Ragnarok’s excellent use across every aspect of its story. The feedback of every heave of axe or swing of fist brings with it a deeper connection to combat, while the granular shake while sledding over rough terrain or oar stroke in the water reinforces your connection to the world as you explore.
Horizon Forbidden West
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Stray
Best Multiplayer Experience
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
2022 provided robust opportunities to compete or team up with friends and strangers online, whether you love to kick a ball, overtake speeding cars, or dial in headshots. Infinity Ward wowed FPS fans once again with Modern Warfare II, the follow up to Modern Warfare (2019)’s top-shelf action. Modern Warfare II provides more options in the fray, including aquatic combat and hanging from ledges. The result is a refinement of the best Call of Duty has to offer, with an entrancing loop of weapon upgrade unlocks and inventive new maps like the colorful Crown Raceway. When it comes to multiplayer design, Infinity Ward has taken its own advice and stayed extra frosty.
Overwatch 2
FIFA 23
Gran Turismo 7
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