Tonight, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, Geoff Keighly once again honors the best in video games this year at The Game Awards. You can watch the show live on YouTube, Mixer, and various other platforms. What kind of year was video games 2019 edition? None of us will truly know until Geoff tell us but everyone’s got some ideas of their own. We’re running down the major categories and putting our predictions here.

Watch The Game Awards Live Stream on December 12

GAME OF THE YEAR

  • Control
  • Resident Evil 2
  • The Outer Worlds
  • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  • Death Stranding
  • Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

You’ll find out Friday, our game of the year was Remedy’s Control but when it comes to The Game Awards you have to consider audience voting and judges panel. With such a splinter between those groups, SUPER SMASH. BROS is going to take the prize.

ACTION ADVENTURE GAME

  • Borderlands 3
  • Control
  • Resident Evil 2
  • Death Stranding
  • Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
  • Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Among these games the two most that speak to the action/adventure genre is Control and Sekiro. Shadows Die Twice just doesn’t have the broad appeal that Jesse Faden’s story had so this one is going to Control.

BEST ART DIRECTION

  • Control
  • Sayonara Wild Hearts
  • Death Stranding
  • Gris
  • Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
  • Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

All the games here looked gorgeous but the one clear winner will be Sayonara Wild Hearts. There’s just such a detour from a typical game in is kinetic animation that makes it undeniable.

BEST FAMILY GAME

  • Luigi’s Mansion 3
  • Ring Fit Adventure
  • Super Mario Maker 2
  • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  • Yoshi’s Crafted World
Waluigi’s Mansion or I riot

I’m not sure which of the above games is one an entire family can sit around and watch their kids play. If you had to pick a game from the list it would have to go to Luigi’s Mansion 3 simply for its humor and wit. It’s almost like watching an interactive cartoon.

BEST FIGHTING GAME

  • Mortal Kombat 11
  • Dead Or Alive 6
  • Jump Force
  • Samurai Showdown
  • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

There’s simply too much overlap between the other fighting games. The clear winner in this category will be Mortal Kombat 11.

BEST GAME DIRECTION

  • Control
  • Resident Evil 2
  • Death Stranding
  • Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
  • Outer Wilds

While it isn’t the best product of the year, there is no denying Hideo Kojima had one of the most grandiose gothic visions for gaming with Death Stranding and it deserves to take this category.

GAMES FOR IMPACT

  • Life Is Strange 2
  • Concrete Genie
  • Gris
  • Kind Words
  • Sea of Solitude

Don’t Nod’s brave direction for their supernatural love letter to Twin Peaks and the X-Men could have gone extremely wrong in its sequel. The risk paid off because after the credits roll on the 5th episode you’re left with challenging thought on what it means to truly be a guardian to someone. Life Is Strange 2 gets my vote here.

BEST INDEPENDENT GAME

  • Untitled Goose Game
  • Baba Is You
  • Disco Elysium
  • Katana Zero
  • Outer Wilds

Only one game set twitter on fire with memes. Untitled Goose Game should be the clear favorite in most people’s eyes.

BEST MULTIPLAYER GAME

  • Apex Legends
  • Borderlands 3
  • Call of Duty Modern Warfare
  • Tetris 99
  • Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Tetris 1 vs 99 was the best multiplayer mode of the year

Only one game differentiates itself from the pack. Tetris 99 came out of nowhere and gave its best version for free to Nintendo Switch owners. There’s just an unmatched level of addiction in Tetris 99 battle royale that makes it deserving of the honor.

BEST NARRATIVE

  • Control
  • Death Stranding
  • A Plague Tale Innocence
  • Disco Elysium
  • The Outer Wilds

Control’s weird world was just the start of its twists and turns. Not only did Remedy tell one of the best original stories this year, they crafted one that gave new relevance to their entire library of work. It’s awesome and the one on this list that can’t be missed.

BEST ROLE PLAYING GAME

  • The Outer Worlds
  • Kingdom Hearts 3
  • Final Fantasy XIV
  • Disco Elysium
  • Monster Hunter: Iceborne

When it comes to progression, branching stories, use of character traits, and immersion players in a new world; nothing held a candle to Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds

You can vote in these and multiple categories on The Game Awards official website and find out who wins on December 12 at 5:30PM PST.

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