Ranking Every Game Of The Year Winner Since 2010
God Of War may have won THIS year, but how does it stack up against the rest of the 2010s?
The Game Awards have been and gone, with God Of War taking home the top prize ahead of stiff competition from Red Dead Redemption 2 and Spider-Man. The webslinger failed to take home any awards at all, showing just how many great games came out this year. While 2018 certainly boasts more depth than most other years, when you look at the winners alone there’s very little between the nine.
Along the way, some amazing titles like Mass Effect 2, Horizon: Zero Dawn and the Batman: Arkham Trilogy have all been brushed aside. And while tons of games put out Game Of The Year Editions, we’re looking specifically at The Game Awards (which were previously known as the Spike Awards).
Also, 2010 is considered to be the start of the decade because it was such an amazing year for gaming. With that in mind, this list serves up an almighty clash of the titans.
Taking into consideration the influence these games left behind - their narrative, aesthetics and obviously the gameplay itself - let's find the very best of the very best.
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.