Like every year, in parallel with the winter sales, Steam asked its users about the best games of the year that we just burned. So it’s already a tradition to wait for the first days of the year to find out which titles stand out the most in the multiple categories that make up this competition, the last or the first of the year, depending on how you look at it. it. This year there were eleven categories for users to vote in, and in general we can confirm that there were no big surprises and that Elden Ring is once again adding new (yes, plural) awards to its already long list. which he achieved.

And it’s by starting with the game of the year, the most important of the awards, Steam users voted Elden Ring as the best of 2022. It’s up against Dying Light 2, Stray, God of War and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, a select list of contenders, but make no mistake, against the last soul.

While virtual reality remains untapped, it’s seen steady growth in terms of adoption, and we know that Steam places a lot of importance on this technology. So another option subject to user criteria is the best virtual reality game, a title that has been won. assassin 3. It was up against BONELAB, Green Hell VR, Among Us VR (which I’ll admit I’d be thrilled to win), and Inside the Baqckrooms.

I couldn’t agree more with the third winner, in the “With Love and Dedication” category, which recognizes its developer’s work with a title that’s been around for a while. This award can recognize titles that started well and became even better, as happened with Stardew Valley, but also reverse a negative start. So you can imagine that he became the winner cyberpunk 2077which was up against DOTA 2, Project Zomboid, No Man’s Sky and Deep Rock Galactic.

The “Better with Friends” category goes without saying, and it’s always a good time to celebrate all the good things multiplayer has and is giving us. Steam users’ choice was Raftingwhich shared the candidacy with Ready or Not, Monster Hunter Rise, MultiVersus and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II.

The games that caught our eye the most were in the running for an award in the “Outstanding Visual Style” category, and the winner was Incredible Fun in New York. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Scorn, Bendy and the Dark Revival, Cult of the Lamb (my favorite in this category, I admit) and Kena: Bridge of Spirits were left behind.

Fun is measured by many parameters and one of them is how innovative is the design that games offer us. Of course, there are classic formulas that work great, but we always like to see evolution and innovation. So this year it won the “Most Innovative Gameplay” award. stray, the cat simulator that created so much talk a few months ago. He faced Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, Teardown, Neon White and Dome Keeper.

Difficulty in games is like spicy food or rear wheel drive cars, not everyone likes it, but those who like it love it. So Steam also recognizes “Best Difficult Game”. And as I told you before Elden Ring won more than one award, as this category seems to have been created to celebrate each FromSoftware release. GTFO, Victoria 3, Total War: WARHAMMER 3 and FIFA 23, the farewell to the most important football franchise in history, competed for second place (Elden Ring’s first era since joining the design studio).

It’s been a long time since a game’s soundtrack consisted of a series it beeps at best with some tweaking. Soundtracks today stand on their own and deserve a lot of credit. It won the award for the best soundtrack of the year FINAL FANTASY VII Remake Integratedwhich went up against Metal: Hellsinger, Sonic Frontiers, Persona 5 Royal and the debut of the great digital diva in rhythm games, Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix+.

Fantastic graphics and an excellent soundtrack are useless if the story doesn’t grab us afterwards, and unfortunately we’ve seen many such cases over the years. As a reward for this point, Steam also appreciates “Outstanding Game with a Good Story”, an award it won this year The God of War (which needs no explanation). Their rivals? Plague Tale: Requiem, UNCHARTED: Legacy of Thieves Collection, The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe and Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered.

Sometimes what we are most looking for from a game is disconnection from our surroundings, fun without complications and a good taste in the mouth, whether we play it for five minutes or five hours. That’s what rewards the “Sit Back and Relax” category, which was for the merry this year LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Sagawhich was up against PowerWash Simulator, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Dorfromantik and Slime Rancher 2.

And we ended the Steam awards review with the “Best Portable Game” category, which rewards titles that can be played both on desktop and on a portable computer and on… of course, as well as on the Steam Deck, of course the Valve console could not be left out. He became the winner Death Stranding Director’s Cut, which was seen with Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, Vampire Survivors, Brotato and Marvel SNAP.

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