Ranking Every Game Of The Year Winner Since 2010

9. The Walking Dead (2012)

Telltale’s The Walking Dead won the award in 2012, and was the dark horse in a race that featured Far Cry 3, Mass Effect 3 and Dishonored. It’s a great game, and while no one would begrudge it the win, it doesn’t really feel on a par with the other eight winners this decade.

Some of that is possibly down to Telltale themselves. While they hardly invented the point and click adventure playstyle, they certainly popularised it with the current generation. But following The Walking Dead came similar titles for Game Of Thrones, Batman, Borderlands, The Wolf Amongst Us and many more. They cannibalised themselves out of the audience, and as result a game that once felt bold and original has shrivelled into something that feels very samey.

The Walking Dead was always the jewel in the crown though; receiving two sequels and a spin off release. While it lacks the might of the last decade’s true titans, it deserves huge credit for even winning. You can only beat who you’re up against in your year, but it’s worth noting that neither Red Dead Redemption 2 or Mass Effect 2 scooped this gong.