End of the year means: lots of food, gifts, spending like there is no tomorrow and most importantly: the crowning of the Game of the Year.
Although on some occasions there has been controversy over the winner, all those that have won the award are excellent games, and today we will classify them from the worst to the best according to the opinion of the fans, the critics, how well or badly they aged and its impact.
Without further ado, let’s start by ordering From Worst to Best of all the GOTYs of The Game Awards and its spiritual predecessor, the Spyke Video Game Awards or VGA.
2003 – Madden NFL 2004
It’s hard to believe, but the 2003 GOTY was won by a sports title. Before this, EA used to put out several NFL installments annually, each serving a certain function. For this edition of Madden , they decided to go all out, putting together the ultimate experience for American football fans. Therefore, there are many game modes, even more than in some of the most recent editions.
In addition to creating our player, we can make a whole team from scratch, and the customization deck was something unimaginable for that year. The variety of modes, like the card game, meant no player got bored and even casual fans had a good time, but the gameplay changes are the real reason Madden 2004 shined .
In this installment, the Playmaker was introduced, which allows us to change the strategy of the plays instantly. This resulted in a much more fluid and fast style of play, which makes us feel like a real coach. It was such a significant change that it remains in place, and in general, it served as the basis for the rest of the titles in the franchise.
Madden NFL 2004 is considered one of the best sports titles ever, but is it enough to earn you the GOTY? On the one hand, we understand that it has modified the formula quite a bit, but in the end, the base of these video games has always been very similar and they have to follow it, so there aren’t that many changes either.
Another disadvantage of sports games is that they are relevant for 12 months, eventually a new edition arrives that makes the previous one almost obsolete. Although Madden 2005 may not have received the same love as its predecessor, most fans bought it and kept 2004 forever.
Let’s look at the other nominees. On the list were some giants like Grand Theft Auto Vice City , The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Splinter Cell , which not only helped revolutionize their respective franchises and genres, but are still very important to date and are still in force. All 3 have received or are going to receive a remaster, which means that fans are still playing them and that they are more accessible than ever.
We don’t want to detract from what Madden 2004 did , and we understand that many fans love him and appreciate what he did in his time, but of all the Games of the Year winners, he’s the worst.
2014 – Dragon Age: Inquisition
Recent years have been turbulent for BioWare; many of its managers have left the company and its most recent games are a far cry from the glory that delivery like KOTOR and early Mass Effect used to enjoy . Before stumbles like Anthem , they delivered the most ambitious title in the Dragon Age franchise ; We are talking about Inquisition . This RPG presented us with a huge world and fresh combat that showed that the genre still has a lot to offer.
At a time when it was said that the RPG was beginning to lose popularity, Dragon Age Inquisition raised its hand and showed that there are still many elements of the gameplay that can addict anyone. The combat is its main attraction and the reason we put so many hours into it. Unfortunately, it has several flaws that keep it from perfection.
The story is forgettable, and in part it is thanks to the characters. Most are boring and never give us much of a reason to interact with them or get to know them better as other characters they’ve developed in other franchises. The secondary missions are very repetitive and there comes a point where we do everything possible to avoid them, something that in other RPGs does not happen so markedly. Inquisition beat Bayonetta 2, Dark Souls II, Shadows of Mordor , and Hearthstone. Questionable? A little.
2016 – Overwatch
Due to the immense popularity that video games have gained in the mainstream, trends within the industry are now spreading faster. In the middle of the last decade, Hero Shooters drew millions to play online and spend hours immersed in unique and exciting matches. The king, without a doubt, was Overwatch , which since its debut caused a sensation among the masses.
Overwatch ‘s rise was insane; since his announcement and his betas, everyone was talking about him, and his debut was the last push I needed to get to the top. It quickly became the most watched and played on Twitch and YouTube, both casually and competitively. The amount of content, active players and updates made it position itself as the title that everyone wanted to try at its start.
This was enough to win DOOM , Inside , Titanfall 2 and Uncharted 4 the award , something that many found controversial and that certainly gave rise to talk. The problem with this result is that, of all the GOTYs to date, Overwatch is the one that has aged the worst, since it is no longer even possible to play it. So we are sure that those who voted for him are sorry.
2012 – The Walking Dead
Technological advances have allowed video games to be more similar to a movie or series because they manage to perfectly combine narrative, interaction and immersion. The first season of The Walking Dead is the ideal example, because it fulfills almost everything a great game should have, since its story, characters, and decisions had us on the edge of our seats from beginning to end.
The story is classic: the zombie apocalypse breaks out and we must join forces with others to survive. The difference is that we are constantly presented with situations and options that strongly influence the fate of the plot and of each one of our companions.
Being a game that belongs to a somewhat forgotten genre, it presents some rhythm problems. Apart from that, The Walking Dead knew how to show an emotional, interesting, brutal and impressive scenario, and for that reason it surpassed Assassin’s Creed III , Dishonored , Journey and Mass Effect 3 to win the Game of the Year award in 2012. We are sure that even Do you remember the moment you had to make “that” decision.
2006 – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls is a franchise that has always sought to break the limits of our imagination. The result is that it went from being very niche and cult to being well known today by most gamers. Morrowind helped this, but without a doubt, Oblivion was the true watershed of the saga, since he surpassed his predecessor in everything, and laid the foundations for the one that followed him.
Compared to Morrowind , which was quite a feat at the time, Oblivion vastly expanded its map, introduced smarter AI, polished up the combat, created a more interesting story; The result was the perfect RPG for the time, which was the entry point into the franchise for many gamers. What this game accomplished in 2006 was mind blowing, and for the same reason it easily beat Okami , Gears of War and Guitar Hero 2 .
But why do we put it so low? For a simple reason: Skyrim . Oblivion was and to date is incredible, but it’s not perfect, plus it has aged a little badly. Elder Scrolls V improved all its problems, and has the advantage that it is available on almost all platforms of the old and current generation, so we do not see much reason to return to IV.
2021 – It Takes Two
In the present, it seems that video games have to be for one person or a massive online experience. However, in 2021 a title taught us that local multiplayer gameplay still has many hours of fun to deliver. It Takes Two came out of nowhere and enchanted thousands of gamers who, after many years, played with a person next to them and felt like they were in the 90s.
This installment developed by Hazelight Studios is very peculiar because it can only be played with 2. We can play it with a family member or friend, but the ideal thing is that we do it with our partner, since the title campaign touches on topics such as separation, work in team and romantic union It constantly places us in front of obstacles and goals that we will have to overcome together, so communication is the key.
It Takes Two is a test to see how well we can overcome some problems or situations with our girlfriend or boyfriend, regardless of whether we are lifelong gamers or not. This different and fascinating theme is the reason why it conquered the hearts of many, because it helped us to get closer to our better half, or flatly showed us that we have to improve communication. In short, it is a beautiful title.
2008 – Grand Theft Auto IV
What is the precise word to describe Grand Theft Auto as a franchise? Greatness. Maybe it wasn’t that way from the start, but after it made the leap to 3D, its rise was colossal, and just when we thought Rockstar couldn’t improve on what it did on the sixth generation of consoles, they gave us Grand Theft Auto IV . It exceeded our expectations by far. This game is bigger, more interesting, fun and imaginative than all its predecessors.
For many, the Grand Theft Auto campaign fades into the background, since the most fun is driving through the streets of the city and causing as much chaos as possible, but in the fourth main installment, Rockstar introduced characters, missions and situations that we They caught and motivated to play to learn more about Niko Belic and company. Also, the acting and voice acting were more than we expected, and they brought the game to life.
The return to Liberty City was executed in a superb way, because the map expanded massively and every corner hides details and curiosities that keep flying at us. Not for nothing this installment still surprises us, because replaying it is always accompanied by surprises and details that we had not noticed. Starting a game always feels different and is like playing it for the first time.
2010 – Red Dead Redemption
If we think that Rockstar had achieved the perfection of open worlds with GTA IV , in 2010 they prepared a tremendous surprise for us. A few years earlier, we were given Red Dead Revolver , a third-person shooter title that, while dim, laid the foundation for Red Dead Redemption . Many describe it as the Grand Theft Auto of the Old West, but it is much more than that, it is a love letter to the western genre.
Just as in GTA IV there are characters with a fascinating and deep story, here it is easy to identify with them due to their context, their attitudes, feelings and actions because they are impressive, in addition to the fact that they have Jesus in their mouths all the time. Rockstar did a tremendous job building the environment and who inhabits the gigantic map, so there’s always something to discover.
They all shine a lot, but John Marston is the one who takes the most prizes, because his stupid, cynical and very intelligent attitude make him the exemplary protagonist to guide this magnificent campaign. Since we touched on the subject, despite the fact that there is always something to do on the map, the story is so good that many times we just want to focus on it, which makes it a round experience.
2020 – The Last of Us Part II
Despite the pandemic, 2020 was one of the years with the best GOTY nominees. Among them, the one that stood out for the judges and the public was The Last of Us Part II , since it managed to improve many aspects of its predecessor, which will change the industry forever. This is one of the most controversial winners in recent years, mainly because of its history, but even so, it has reasons to have stood out.
Yes, maybe many were very outraged by the death of a certain character and by how Abby’s story was approached, but that does not take away the fact that Naughty Dog made an excellent sequel that expands the universe of this franchise in a great way and gives us I deliver a campaign that is objectively entertaining and passionate. What everyone must agree on is that the action improved a lot.
So, regardless of whether you agree with their decisions, it is impossible to deny that The Last of Us Part II is an incredible title, since its gameplay and narrative are excellent, fine and an immense advance.
2018 – God of War
Although Sony managed to establish several franchises with its first console, it was with the PlayStation 2 that it found its brightest gold mine. God of War had a sound debut, and for the same reason, the Japanese company exploited it for the following years. Although its sequels were great, they eventually ran out of many new ideas, so a reimagining was just and necessary.
For the PlayStation 4, Santa Monica Studios took a very interesting turn: Kratos would move away from Greek mythology to enter the Norse. This was not the only change, because now the God of War has a companion, his son Atreus. Many of us thought that this would ruin the game because we want to destroy gods, not raise a kid, but on the contrary, it turned out to be something that enriched the story and gameplay.
Although the combat is a departure from the hack n’ slash genre, it is extremely polished and managed to make it varied, tactical, personalized and fun. This was because it uses RPG elements, so our armor, upgrades, and skill tree allow us to exploit our experience to the last drop. This new identity was the perfect move, and thanks to it, God of War was the best game of 2018.
2019 – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Even though FromSoftware has made a plethora of great video games, only one has taken Game of the Year, at least through 2021 (we made this list before ELDEN RING won ). The lucky one who managed to excel has it well deserved, as he took everything that worked in his predecessors and added even more interesting, detailed and difficult elements to it. We refer to: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice .
Sekiro is set in 16th century Japan, and from this decision, FromSoftware managed to make it stand out among its brothers, because the places we visit make us feel right there. Visually it is beautiful, but what is truly important is how it is controlled. It is one of the most difficult games from the company because the combat was carefully built to make you feel like a true samurai and respect the dynasty.
This time, in addition to attacking with our sword, dodging and parrying, we have more tools and mechanics that expand the ways of approaching enemies. If we add to this that the story and lore are not so cryptic and that there are cinematics, dialogues and a much clearer explanation, we get the pinnacle of FromSoftware and one of the best games of the last generation.
2004 – Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Is anyone surprised to see Grand Theft Auto among the winners again? The Rockstar franchise revolutionized gaming in such a brutal way that they are the yardstick by which we measure open world games. And it is that before his third installment, nobody had dared so much. Vice City innovated even more than its predecessor, but it was in San Andreas where they found that there are no limits for them.
Although GTA IV added a lot, we put it below San Andreas because it was the one that changed the course of the franchise completely. Set in 1990s California, the writers managed to capture what was experienced in those years, especially in the gang community. Every dialogue, building, gesture and detail is a jewel, and they make us want to discover every corner of the map.
If the city itself is huge and full of things to do, the community made this game their perfect canvas, because in it they embodied all their strangest dreams with the crazy mods that there are. We can fly on Aladdin’s magic carpet, drive a rather peculiar motorcycle, rob banks like Vegeta and many other things. San Andreas was the GTA that eliminated the word “impossible” from the saga.
2007 – BioShock
FPS are one of the most popular titles among gamers, but most of them stand out for their multiplayer. There is one that, thanks to its story, atmosphere, gameplay and components, became a modern masterpiece; we mean BioShock . From its beginning, we know that this game is special, because a few seconds after it starts it shows us such a unique tone and theme that we necessarily want to continue.
In BioShock , we find ourselves in Rapture, a utopia under the sea that has been abandoned and only remnants of it remain. Although it is not the first time that something like this has been shown to us in pop culture, the writers and designers of 2K Games managed to make it shine with its excellent story and characters. Thanks to the Plasmids, our protagonist acquires powers that are a delight to try and help us move forward.
This makes each confrontation fun, varied and full of adrenaline, and the exploration is added, which thanks to how well built Rapture is, will have you gawking and entertained for hours. The truly superb thing about the gameplay is that it is the environment that tells the story, rather than the cinematics or the NPCs, so the immersion and pace of the game is of the highest quality. Without a doubt, a very different delivery.
2015 – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
It took CD Projekt RED a little time and effort to make themselves known, but thanks to The Witcher 3 , we all knew about them, because this game is so well built, that it became the title that we had to try in 2015. Despite the fact that we had already grown fond of Geralt in past installments, in this new story we see his much more intimate and sentimental side, which brought us very close to him.
An open-world RPG can seem overwhelming, especially when you take into account the size of the world of Wild Hunt , but CD Projekt RED did their homework fantastically to make even the most insignificant side quest feel interesting and rewarding. So, even if we’ve been playing for more than 200 hours, we’re going to want to keep talking to the NPCs, learn about the story, and go through all the fields within our reach.
Combat has been tweaked to make it more entertaining overall, and now the new animations are more natural, the options more varied, the mechanics easier to master, and the AI remarkably smart. We’ve talked about a lot of open-world games (and they’re missing) but The Witcher 3 stands out because it makes us feel extremely connected to the characters and story, even though they’re fantasy.
2011 – The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim
We already talked about The Elder Scrolls with Oblivion and we highlighted the great leap it took for the franchise, but today it looks pretty beaten up in terms of graphics and animations. Therefore, if we want to play the best installment of the franchise, we go to Skyrim , which not only improved in everything, but is available almost the same as the original Doom . On PC, the latest Xbox, PlayStation and even Switch consoles you can live this unique experience.
If we thought that Oblivion was big, the Skyrim map takes it to the streets, and despite the fact that the main story is entertaining, what we recommend is to lose yourself in its wide world. In many open RPGs it is normal for the average player not to find much to do and get bored, but in The Elder Scrolls V , the less you know the better, because each discovery is shocking, fascinating and surprising.
Despite the fact that its spirits are already showing, Skyrim looks much better than its predecessor, since the basic and combat animations look less artificial than those of Oblivion . The different classes that we can choose, together with the varied powers, the size of the map and what we can find on it, make each corner like a laboratory or training area: from each action we learn something.
Skyrim easily deserved the 2011 GOTY because the game, its community, and its impact marked the industry, and we still watch it to this day.
2009 – Uncharted 2
Action and adventure games have always been around, and boy have they been big. On the fifth generation of consoles, installments like Ocarina of Time and Tomb Raider demonstrated how fun it can be to explore 3D environments and the adrenaline that combat can generate. As time progressed, the formula was perfected, and Uncharted 2 is the proof, because for thousands of people it is the pinnacle of the genre.
We’ve talked about a lot of open world games, but a little bit of linearity has never hurt anyone. Many refer to some titles as “pelijuegos”, but that is not an insult. Among Thieves knew how to perfectly combine gameplay with cinematics and dialogue to create an interactive experience like no other. The story is exquisitely written so that we are interested in absolutely everything that happens.
The characters, their dialogue and dubbing are sublime, and make us feel in their presence and close to them. The rhythm is wonderful because it knows how to balance cinematics and playable parts very well so that we are both players and spectators. Uncharted 2 does everything so superbly that most Naughty Dog, Playstation and action games still follow its formula.
2017 – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
We mentioned that God of War reinvented itself perfectly in 2018, but whoever did it a year earlier was an unimaginable installment that conquered the hearts of many generations. We refer to The Legend of Zelda and her incredible Breath of the Wild . It seemed strange to us that the Wii U would go years without receiving a title from this saga, but when this gem arrived, we realized why.
After Skyward Sword was criticized for its linearity, Nintendo thought it was time for a radical change, so it took 6 years to develop their masterpiece. Breath of the Wild throws us out into the open, and it is our duty to decide our route to discover all the corners of Hyrule and save Zelda. The amount of implemented mechanics that fit perfectly with this universe is absurd, and the result is one of the best titles in history.
Breath of the Wild is an action game, open world, RPG, exploration and more genres. It does not marry a single idea, but seamlessly mixes various styles and ideas so that each player’s experience is different. Aside from the tutorial, everyone can go where they want in any order they want, and it’s this freedom that proved why Legend of Zelda still has so many fresh and innovative ideas to offer.
2013 – Grand Theft Auto V
As much as we climb the list, there will always be a Rockstar game, and it is that they undoubtedly revolutionized the industry and the way of making video games. If they thought it was impossible to surpass what was done in GTA IV , Red Dead Redemption and San Andreas , it’s because nobody saw what they prepared for 2013 coming. Grand Theft Auto V is everything we dreamed of as gamers, and even more.
There are several reasons why this game broke sales records in its first days of sale and why it has been released in another 2 generations: it is the perfect world for us to do what we want. We can be serious and linear, or we can wander aimlessly and still have fun. We return to the city of Los Santos, but this time there is much more life, because in addition to being a huge map, everything is interactive.
The individual experience is excellent because the campaign divided between 3 protagonists is the right step that Rockstar should have taken, but what makes this title so relevant and magnificent is Online. It took a while to arrive, but since its debut, this modality of GTA conquered the world, and to date it is one of the most played titles on Steam and in general, because nothing compares to destroying a city in the company of other maniacs.
2005 – Resident Evil 4
Horror Games is synonymous with Resident Evil , since since its debut, the franchise showed the world the way the genre should be shaped. The first 3 main titles are considered one of the best in history, and the spinoffs are not far behind. However, Capcom made an extreme change to the series in RE4 that affected gaming forever.
Instead of having the camera positioned at a fixed point in the room, the perspective is positioned over the shoulder of Leon, the protagonist, so that we feel more immersed in the experience and see what is in front of us. This was vital for Resident Evil 4 to focus more on action and exploration, because although terror and monsters still abound, combat and movement received a wonderful polish.
Visually, Resident Evil 4 is a beauty, and I take full advantage of the jump to the next generation. The new technology helped to make the monsters look very real, the bosses too terrifying, each place very well set and Leon, precious. This game is a perfect machine, since all its elements are carefully structured to make it one of the best games, not only horror, but in history.
Even the story dropped a lot of what its predecessors did, to the point that if you’ve never played a Resident Evil game , you understand the vast majority of the plot. This helps the game introduce new characters, enemies, and storylines that are worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster. Some, like Ashley and Ada Wong, became iconic for the franchise.
The change in perspective was more than a cosmetic fix, as it helped build tension and generate adrenaline, because seeing the creatures head-on and trying to hurt them makes us feel like every shot counts. Leon’s position on the screen is perfect because he lets us see a lot of what’s in front of us, and when we aim the gun, he shows even more space without going out of frame, to feel next to him.
This change in perspective was so influential that it was one of the most popular for a long time, even today we continue to see games that have a similar perspective. It seems like it will never get old.
Resident Evil 4 is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive video games in history, because in addition to giving the franchise a very different approach for the following years, it showed a new way of making and playing third-person action titles. Its influence is present to date in very popular games such as Fortnite , Dead Rising and Uncharted , and it is not for nothing that its remake is one of the most anticipated titles of 2023. For this and more, we believe that it is the best GOTY of all. time.
