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The Game Awards 2017 Nominees

Dec 06, 2017

By: Max Cannon

The Game Awards is the biggest award show in video gaming, as if the title didn't make that clear enough. While Kidzworld is going to be running through our favorite games of 2017, here are the nominees just in time to catch up before the award show later this week.

And the Nominees are...

The awards, which are decided by a panel of over 50 different gaming outlets, cover multiple different categories and represent the best gaming experiences you'll get throughout the year. Here's how things start:

Game of The Year

Recognizing a game that delivers the absolute best experience across all creative and technical fields.

The new Zelda is the game to beat at this year's award show.The new Zelda is the game to beat at this year's award show.Courtesy of Nintendo

Best Game Direction

Awarded to a game studio for outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design.

  • Wolfenstein II
  • Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  • Super Mario Odyssey
  • Horizon Zero Dawn

Best Narrative

For outstanding storytelling and narrative development in a game.

  • What Remains of Edith Finch
  • NieR: Automata
  • Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
  • Wolfenstein II
  • Horizon Zero Dawn

Horizon Zero Dawn was one of Kidzworld's highest reviewed games of the year.Horizon Zero Dawn was one of Kidzworld's highest reviewed games of the year.Courtesy of PlayStation

Best Art Direction

For outstanding creative and/or technical achievement in artistic design and animation.

  • Destiny 2
  • Cuphead
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  • Persona 5
  • Horizon Zero Dawn

Best Score/Music

For outstanding music, inclusive of score, original song and/or licensed soundtrack.

  • Destiny 2
  • Cuphead
  • NieR: Automata
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  • Super Mario Odyssey
  • Persona 5

Best Audio Design

Recognizing the best in-game audio and sound design.

  • Destiny 2
  • Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
  • Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  • Super Mario Odyssey

The Game Awards - Live in 4K on YouTube, December 7!

 

Best Performance

Awarded to an individual for voice-over acting, motion and/or performance capture.

  • Melina Juergens, Hellblade as Senua
  • Laura Bailey, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy as Nadine Ross
  • Claudia Black, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy as Chloe Frazer
  • Brian Bloom, Wolfenstein II as BJ Blazkowicz
  • Ashly Burch, Horizon: Zero Dawn As Aloy

Games for Impact

For a thought provoking game with a profound pro-social meaning or message.

  • Bury Me, My Love 
  • Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice 
  • Life is Strange: Before the Storm
  • Night in the Woods
  • Please Knock on My Door 
  • What Remains of Edith Finch

Best Ongoing Game

Awarded to a game for outstanding development of ongoing content that evolves the player experience over time.

  • Destiny 2
  • Grand Theft Auto Online
  • Overwatch
  • PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
  • Rainbow Six: Siege
  • Warframe

Destiny 2, an online heavy game, is still getting new content.Destiny 2, an online heavy game, is still getting new content.Courtesy of PlayStation

Best Independent Game

For outstanding creative and technical achievement in a game made outside the traditional publisher system.

  • Cuphead
  • Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
  • Night in the Woods
  • Pyre
  • What Remains of Edith Finch 

Best Mobile Game

For the best game playable on a dedicated mobile device.

  • Fire Emblem Heroes
  • Hidden Folks 
  • Monument Valley 2
  • Old Man's Journey
  • Super Mario Run

Best Handheld Game

For the best game playable on a dedicated portable gaming system.

  • Ever Oasis
  • Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
  • Metroid: Samus Returns
  • Monster Hunter Stories
  • Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World

With all these nominations, it looks like the long wait for Cuphead was worth it.With all these nominations, it looks like the long wait for Cuphead was worth it.Courtesy of Xbox

Best VR/AR Game

For the best game experience playable in virtual or augmented reality, irrespective of platform.

  • Farpoint 
  • Lone Echo
  • Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
  • Star Trek: Bridge Crew
  • Superhot VR

Best Action Game

For the best game in the action genre focused on combat.

  • Cuphead
  • Destiny 2
  • Nioh
  • Prey
  • Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Best Action/Adventure Game

For the best action/adventure game, combining combat with traversal and puzzle solving.

  • Assassin's Creed: Origins 
  • Horizon Zero Dawn
  • Super Mario Odyssey
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  • Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Best Role-Playing Game

For the best game designed with rich player character customization and progression, including massively multiplayer experiences.

  • Divinity: Original Sin II
  • Final Fantasy XV
  • NieR: Automata
  • Persona 5
  • South Park: The Fractured But Whole

Best Fighting Game

For the best game designed primarily around head-to-head combat.

  • Arms
  • Injustice 2
  • Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
  • Nidhogg 2
  • Tekken 7

Best Family Game

For the best game appropriate for family play, irrespective of genre or platform.

  • Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
  • Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
  • Sonic Mania
  • Splatoon 2
  • Super Mario Odyssey

The Wii U's re-release is one of the family game of the year nominees.The Wii U's re-release is one of the family game of the year nominees.Courtesy of Nintendo

Best Strategy Game

Best game focused on real time or turn-based strategy gameplay, irrespective of platform.

  • Halo Wars 2
  • Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
  • Total War: Warhammer II
  • Tooth and Tail
  • XCOM 2: War of the Chosen

Best Sports/Racing Game

For the best traditional and non-traditional sports and racing game.

  • FIFA 18
  • Forza Motorsport 7
  • Gran Turismo Sport
  • NBA 2K18
  • Pro Evolution Soccer 2018
  • Project Cars 2

Best Multiplayer

For outstanding online multiplayer gameplay and design, including co-op and massively multiplayer experiences, irrespective of game genre.

  • Call of Duty: WWII
  • Destiny 2
  • Fortnite
  • Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
  • PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
  • Splatoon 2

Fortnite's inclusion of a free-to-play mode won over millions of players.Fortnite's inclusion of a free-to-play mode won over millions of players.Courtesy of Epic Games

Most Anticipated Game

Awarded to an upcoming game that has shown significant ambition and promise. Title must be announced and scheduled for release after December 7, 2017.

  • God of War
  • Marvel's Spider-Man
  • Monster Hunter World
  • Red Dead Redemption II
  • The Last of Us Part II

Best Debut Indie Game

Recognizing a new independent studio that released its first game in 2017. Winner selected by fan voting.

  • Cuphead
  • Golf Story
  • Hollow Knight
  • Mr. Shifty
  • Slime Rancher
Have Your Say!

Which games are you hoping to walk away with an award? Any snubs you noticed? Comment below!