As promised The Game Awards 2021 nominees have been announced and there’s quite a few categories this year. The masterful Metroid Dread is up for Game of the Year, which is great news as we awarded Samus’s latest space adventure a 9.5/10 upon release. However, some gamers on social media are miffed as PlayStation 5 exclusive Returnal wasn’t included in the Game of the Year 2021 nominees along with Xbox exclusive Forza Horizon 5, which scored well with critics. You can vote for your favourite games of 2021 right here!
Game of the Year:
- DEATHLOOP
- It Takes Two
- Metroid Dread
- Psychonauts 2
- Ratchet & Clank
- Resident Evil Village
Best Game Direction:
- DEATHLOOP
- It Takes Two
- Returnal
- Psychonauts 2
- Ratchet & Clank
Best Art Direction:
- The Artful Escape
- DEATHLOOP
- Kena
- Psychonauts 2
- Ratchet & Clank
Best Narrative:
- DEATHLOOP
- It Takes Two
- Life is Strange: True Colors
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Psychonauts 2
Best Score:
- The Artful Escape
- Cyberpunk 2077
- DEATHLOOP
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- NieR Replicant
Best Audio Design:
- DEATHLOOP
- Forza Horizon 5
- Ratchet & Clank
- Resident Evil Village
- Returnal
Best Performance:
- Erika Mori as Alex Chen (Life is Strange: True Colors)
- Giancarlo Esposito as Antom Castillo (Far Cry 6)
- Jason Kelley as Colt Vahn (DEATHLOOP)
- Maggie Robertson as Lady Dimitrescu (Resident Evil Village)
- Ozioma Akagha as Julianna Blake (DEATHLOOP)
Best Indie:
- 12 Minutes
- Death’s Door
- Kena
- Inscryption
- Loop Hero
Best Action:
- Back 4 Blood
- Chivalry 2
- DEATHLOOP
- Far Cry 6
- Returnal
Best Action/Adventure:
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Metroid Dread
- Ratchet & Clank
- Resident Evil Village
- Psychonauts 2
Best Role Playing Game:
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Monster Hunter Rise
- Scarlet Nexus
- Shin Megami Tensei V
- Tales of Arise
Best Sports/Racing:
- F1 2021
- FIFA 22
- Forza Horizon 5
- Hot Wheels Unleashed
- Riders Republic
Best Fighting:
- Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles
- Guilty Gear Strive
- Melty Blood: Type Lumina
- Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
- Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown
Best Multiplayer:
- Back 4 Blood
- Knockout City
- It Takes Two
- Monster Hunter Rise
- New World
- Valheim
Best Sim/Strategy
- Age of Empires IV
- Evil Genius 2: World Domination
- Humankind
- Inscryption
- Microsoft Flight Simulator
Innovation in Accessibility
- Far Cry 6
- Forza Horizon 5
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Ratchet & Clank
- The Vale: Shadow of the Crown
Oh wow, I guess I was wrong.
I’m ecstatic to see Dread nominated for GOTY, I think it might genuinly have a chance of taking it.
They didn’t put it in any other category other than it’s genre, meanwhile they put R&C in as many categories as they could, I think it’s kinda obvious who they a favoring.
True, but there’s no way in hell R&C is winning.
It was mediocre at best, even diehard fans of the series admit that. I have no idea how it got nominated in the first place.
I don’t know if Metroid will actually win in the end, but out of all the nominees it’s by FAR my favourite.
None of the others even come close imo.
Looks like Metroid Dread made it to the categories for the first time in the franchise. I’m so glad Metroid Dread got nominated for this year Game Awards for 9.5/10 witch is a excellent score.
Based on how many other nominations it has, I feel like DEATHLOOP will end up taking it, but I am very happy to see Dread up there.
Gladly surprised to see Dread nominated for GotY, and also surprised that TWEWY Neo wasn’t even nominated for best RPG (I haven’t played it yet myself, but I’ve heard really good things).
shame no good games this year
Seems like Metroid Dread got nominated to appease fans but has no chance of winning. It’s not even in any other cagegory.
You mean aside from Best Action/Adventure?
Oh, my bad. I guess I need to learn to read better.
Idk now. I still don’t think it’s likely to win but it’d be cool if it did.
Well basically its not about winning anything, its about results and reviews.
Actually, it’s also up for best action/adventure
Yea I’m fine with that. I don’t think the art direction or score deserves to win. Game direction and audio possibly could’ve gotten nominated. It Takes Two also has a few nods so I feel it’s between that, Dread & fan favorite Psychonauts 2 for GOTY.
I hate the game awards they’re biased af towards western devs. There are so many excellent Japanese games that we’re not even mentioned like Pokémon Snap for be start direction, Mario Party Superstars for multiplayer, bravely default 2 and NEO TWEWY for best role playing, Story of Seasons Olive town for best sim, no more heroes 3 and sakuna for best indie.
I could do this all day But it’s useless knowing that the panel only chooses western developed narrative driven games with photorealistic graphics without a care to gameplay.
Mario Party getting shafted is really a shame. It’s the best entry that franchise has had in so long. The multiplayer is a blast.
Same for Pokemon Snap.
Yeah, I hate these awards too.