Not really a big surprise here and thoroughly deserved! The 2023 Steam Awards are over and Baldur's Gate 3 has won Game of the Year. Here's all the results for you.
Game of the Year: Baldur's Gate 3
VR Game of the Year: Labyrinthine
Labor of Love: Red Dead Redemption 2
Best Game on Steam Deck: Hogwarts Legacy
Better With Friends: Lethal Company
Outstanding Visual Style: Atomic Heart
Most Innovative Gameplay: Starfield
Best Game You Suck At: Sifu
Best Soundtrack: The Last of Us Part I
Outstanding Story-Rich Game: Baldur's Gate 3
Sit Back and Relax: DAVE THE DIVER
What are you thoughts on the winners this year?
See more on the Steam Awards page.
Just a reminder that the Steam Winter Sale still continues on until January 4th at 10am PT / 6pm UTC. Be sure to check out some fantastic co-op games contributor Scaine recently wrote up!
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
QuoteMost Innovative Gameplay: Starfield
That right there is the only documentation one need against user driven awards. It really is a general popularity contest. The more users, the more votes.
And that's not always the purpose of an award. Like here.
Last edited by Beamboom on 3 January 2024 at 3:58 pm UTC
Quoting: BeamboomQuoteMost Innovative Gameplay: Starfield
That right there is the only documentation one need against user driven awards. It really is a general popularity contest. The more users, the more votes.
I think RDR2 getting "labour of love" even though Rockstar abandoned it the year prior is a better example. :D
Quoting: BeamboomQuoteMost Innovative Gameplay: Starfield
That right there is the only documentation one need against user driven awards. It really is a general popularity contest. The more users, the more votes.
And that's not always the purpose of an award. Like here.
Voting what you know is also easier. However if you get past the few baffling AAA wins, there's plenty of indies in the winners too. Which more or less means that indies have a chance, they need just enough publicity. And big publishers don't control all the media like they used to, so even the stranger indie games might get featured at least somewhere. I doubt something like Lethal Company has had big advertising budget.
QuoteLabor of Love: Red Dead Redemption 2
Love for money, maybe? A sad joke given that Deep Rock was also a finalist and actually deserving of the award.
QuoteBetter With Friends: Lethal Company
Only in that it is slightly less terrible with friends than without. However I guess it fits the description of the award and the other finalists weren't much better.
QuoteMost Innovative Gameplay: Starfield
Hahaha, no.
Overall, except for BG3's well deserved top spot, there really wasn't much worth in the finalists and even less in the winners.
The story reminds me more of Demon Stone than any other Realms game, really. (A very good action game, oddly not an RPG. If you liked LotR: The Two Towers on the PS2/Xbox. Patrick Stewart voiced Blackstaff in that game. Michael Clark Duncan voiced Y'Gorl. Khelben sounded pretty good for ~900-1100!)
A few things I'm not happy about are the level cap not going to at least 16-18, as that's when you gain access to some of the most fun (read overpowered) abilities. Maybe we'll get another Throne of Bhaal?
No patron deity for Paladins? Drow pigeonholed into Lolth-worshipers and Seladrine syncophants? Svirfneblin without half their abilities? And that's just what I've noticed so far!
Spoiler, click me
I mean BG2:ToB let us break 20 and even implemented Wish if I remember correctly (I've never played a wizard PC in BG1-2.).
But it is easily the best CRPG released in the last couple of years. It's easily on par with DA:O, if not quite BG2, in my mind.
QuoteWhat are you thoughts on the winners this year?
This is fine.....
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