Steam Awards 2025 announced

[Madmick]

The Steam Awards

Vote for the 2025 Steam Award nominees during the Steam Winter Sale

store.steampowered.com

The DICE is the most prestigious ceremony, though not the most commercial, and continues to have the greatest predictive value of games that will be considered the greatest in the future among traditional ceremonies, but probably the best games award is one handed out by gamers.

 

[Zazen]

The Steam Awards

Vote for the 2025 Steam Award nominees during the Steam Winter Sale

store.steampowered.com

The DICE is the most prestigious ceremony, though not the most commercial, and continues to have the greatest predictive value of games that will be considered the greatest in the future among traditional ceremonies, but probably the best games award is one handed out by gamers.

What's your opinion on Untitled Goose Game winning over Sekiro though? Look at how many parry games we have gotten since the release of that game. It has been incredibly influential. I think DICE lost some credibility there.

 

[HereticBD]

Silksong...?

No. It's not a good game. It's an insanity test that will not remembered for much at all, except for finally being released. Fanboy award winner.

 

[Madmick]

What's your opinion on Untitled Goose Game winning over Sekiro though? Look at how many parry games we have gotten since the release of that game. It has been incredibly influential. I think DICE lost some credibility there.

I think Control and Slay the Spire were my favorite games from 2019, so I don't care.

 

[Zazen]

I think Control and Slay the Spire were my favorite games from 2019, so I don't care.

Sure but I think if you argue that the games that are selected by DICE will be remembered longer I have to disagree because as I said Sekiro is still talked about and played and it had been hugely influential. Every game is adding a parry mechanic now. That’s because of Sekiro. Untitled Goose Game is barely mentioned. At best it was just a really fun and unique game for the year it released

 

[KaNesDeath]

Silksong...?

No. It's not a good game. It's an insanity test that will not remembered for much at all, except for finally being released. Fanboy award winner.

Silksong had the bigger launch on Steam.

Amount of awards it won elsewhere with it being a quicktime event game is why 33 got passed on in that category. Also keep in mind that Steam users have different tastes than console users. Top 10 played games between the two delivery platforms only share one game in common; GTA5.

 

[Madmick]

Sure but I think if you argue that the games that are selected by DICE will be remembered longer I have to disagree because as I said Sekiro is still talked about and played and it had been hugely influential. Every game is adding a parry mechanic now. That’s because of Sekiro. Untitled Goose Game is barely mentioned. At best it was just a really fun and unique game for the year it released

Perhaps. I have no idea where the canon is headed. What I do know is that was an incredibly bold pick by the DICE and the GDC. TGA doesn't make bold picks. Ever. It makes safe, commercial picks.

But it should satisfy you that Sekiro is already ranked higher than Untitled Goose Game for 2019 by the Acclaimed Games canon list, though neither tops the year, so TGA's choice is aging better by that benchmark. UGC is only #10 for the year, Sekiro is #6. So neither got it right based on hindsight acclaim. Disco Elysium is #1, and that isn't just by aggregate ranking, it was also ranked the highest with the explicit question of the greatest games of all time by the 2023 GQ survey I'm sure you've seen me post in the past. That's a game the DICE or the GDC might have picked. It's not a game TGA would ever pick.

Along that line, if using Acclaimed Games as the benchmark, DICE has been 'accurate' more often than TGA.

 

[HereticBD]

"Untitled Goose Game" being so highly rated is insane. It's a quirky little puzzle platformer you can beat in a few hours. Decent little indie game, but that's about it. I wouldn't rate much higher than a game like "Donut County". It's a game you play, and go "Hmph, that was pretty neat", and then immediately forget about it.

 

[Madmick]

"Untitled Goose Game" being so highly rated is insane. It's a quirky little puzzle platformer you can beat in a few hours. Decent little indie game, but that's about it. I wouldn't rate much higher than a game like "Donut County". It's a game you play, and go "Hmph, that was pretty neat", and then immediately forget about it.

Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros 3 take an average of 5 hours to beat for the main game, so I wouldn't get too hung up on duration just because playtime has swelled in modern gaming. I'd rather a game was great for 3-8 hours than repetitive sandbox slop for 80.

But if you think UGG is overrated then hold onto your butts if you've never played Journey. Two hours of holding forward in a desert doing nothing. One of the most forgettable experiences of your gaming life.

 

[HereticBD]

Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros 3 take an average of 5 hours to beat for the main game, so I wouldn't get too hung up on duration just because playtime has swelled in modern gaming. I'd rather a game was great for 3-8 hours than repetitive sandbox slop for 80.

True, but I think the era they came out in plays a part. I'm not gonna slam an old 8/16-bit game for being short. They were all short, other than RPGs. I also think they're just better games, and are the kings of 2D platformers. I don't see UGG gaining anything remotely close to that reputation. It's a quirky little game you might play through once.

But if you think UGG is overrated then hold onto your butts if you've never played Journey. Two hours of holding forward in a desert do nothing. One of the most forgettable experiences of your gaming life.

I liked "Journey" quite a bit actually, and think at the time it came out, it was a very unique experience that stood out. I can understand the praise. If it came out today, after a whole slew of those types of "games" have been released, I probably wouldn't even bat an eye at it. It's why that game "Abzu" just came and went. Some of the same developers of "Journey", and the exact same type of game, but was pretty much forgotten about after a month. It doesn't hit the same, because it's all so familiar. "Journey" was fresh, and for what it was, the music and art direction was incredible. It's artsy wank, but good artsy wank, LOL.

UGG is just another experimental indie slop game, that had some neat ideas and funny writing here and there. I can understand it being rated good. It is a good game, but "all time" level shit? I don't think so. It will not be in the conversation with the greats.

 

[Madmick]

True, but I think the era they came out in plays a part. I'm not gonna slam an old 8/16-bit game for being short. They were all short, other than RPGs. I also think they're just better games, and are the kings of 2D platformers. I don't see UGG gaining anything remotely close to that reputation. It's a quirky little game you might play through once.

It appears you concede duration of gameplay has nothing to do with the value of the game's greatness. That isn't the source of your critique.

I liked "Journey" quite a bit actually, and think at the time it came out, it was a very unique experience that stood out. I can understand the praise. If it came out today, after a whole slew of those types of "games" have been released, I probably wouldn't even bat an eye at it. It's why that game "Abzu" just came and went. Some of the same developers of "Journey", and the exact same type of game, but was pretty much forgotten about after a month. It doesn't hit the same, because it's all so familiar. "Journey" was fresh, and for what it was, the music and art direction was incredible. It's artsy wank, but good artsy wank, LOL.

"I can understand the praise"? Are you being real? Journey was dogshit. You want an unforgettable experience within the realm of passive, interactive stories? What Became of Edith Finch. That's a masterpiece.

If you think it is appropriately ranked as the #41 game of all-time, and the #1 game of 2012, you are batshit. Other games from 2012:

• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• Far Cry 3
• XCOM: Enemy Unknown
• Dishonored
• Borderlands 2
• Mass Effect 3
• Halo 4
• Guild Wars 2
• Hotline Miami
• The Walking Dead
• FTL: Faster Than Light

To put this into perspective, its all-time ranking on the AG slots it ahead of Starcraft, Diablo II, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Super Mario Kart, Silent Hill 2, Baldur's Gate 3, Fallout 3, Super Mario Bros, Grand Theft Auto III...and that's just some highlights from #42-#60.

 

[HereticBD]

"I can understand the praise"? Are you being real? Journey was dogshit. You want an unforgettable experience within the realm of passive, interactive stories? What Became of Edith Finch. That's a masterpiece.

Oh', well, we're not gonna agree here. That game was complete ass, LOL.

I guess we just got different tastes when it comes to artsy walking simulators.

If you think it is appropriately ranked as the #41 game of all-time, and the #1 game of 2012, you are batshit. Other games from 2012:

• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• Far Cry 3
• XCOM: Enemy Unknown
• Dishonored
• Borderlands 2
• Mass Effect 3
• Halo 4
• Guild Wars 2
• Hotline Miami
• The Walking Dead
• FTL: Faster Than Light

To put this into perspective, its all-time ranking on the AG slots it ahead of Starcraft, Diablo II, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Super Mario Kart, Silent Hill 2, Baldur's Gate 3, Fallout 3, Super Mario Bros, Grand Theft Auto III...and that's just some highlights from #42-#60.

All I said was I liked it and can understand the praise and why it stood out at the time. It would not be on my personal all time list, no, but it is one of those games that just came out at the right time, which elevates it's status. Like it or not, it was a pretty big deal when it came out. "Gone Home" gets some similar status for being one of the first "walking simulators" of that ilk as well. I personally can't stand it, but I also can't deny that it made a pretty big splash when it came out.

To get back to the point though, UGG was not in that realm, where I could see why it's held in such high regard. It was a cute little novelty game. Like, if somebody pointed out that "Journey" was this big deal at the time and that's why it's still held in such high regard on lists, I could at least understand it because it was a pretty big deal at the time. I can't do that with UGG. It's just some above average indie game to me, that came and went.


EDIT - As for the whole "time" thing, it really is a game by game basis. I concede there is no real consistency with that critique, but some games do feel cheaper and shorter than others. UGG is one of those games to me.

 

[SaiWa]

It appears you concede duration of gameplay has nothing to do with the value of the game's greatness. That isn't the source of your critique.

"I can understand the praise"? Are you being real? Journey was dogshit. You want an unforgettable experience within the realm of passive, interactive stories? What Became of Edith Finch. That's a masterpiece.

If you think it is appropriately ranked as the #41 game of all-time, and the #1 game of 2012, you are batshit. Other games from 2012:

• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• Far Cry 3
• XCOM: Enemy Unknown
• Dishonored
• Borderlands 2
• Mass Effect 3
• Halo 4
• Guild Wars 2
• Hotline Miami
• The Walking Dead
• FTL: Faster Than Light

To put this into perspective, its all-time ranking on the AG slots it ahead of Starcraft, Diablo II, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Super Mario Kart, Silent Hill 2, Baldur's Gate 3, Fallout 3, Super Mario Bros, Grand Theft Auto III...and that's just some highlights from #42-#60.

Chris Bell was one of the main game designers for Journey and was credited as the sole game designer of What Remains of Edith Finch so there is definitely a spiritual connection between the two games.

I may have never played Journey but I know plenty of friends who have enjoyed it and strongly recommend I try it. It's not for everyone but there isn't a game out there that doesn't have its share of haters.

 

[Madmick]

I may have never played Journey but I know plenty of friends who have enjoyed it and strongly recommend I try it. It's not for everyone but there isn't a game out there that doesn't have its share of haters.

As does Untitled Goose Game, apparently.

 

[SaiWa]

As does Untitled Goose Game, apparently.

Undeserving of being GOTY is an arguable topic for either UGS or WBoEF. Claiming that Journey is dogshit because it's not your cup of tea is too abrasive of an opinion to be taken seriously considering the accolades it received.

 

[Madmick]

Undeserving of being GOTY is an arguable topic for either UGS or WBoEF. Claiming that Journey is dogshit because it's not your cup of tea is too abrasive of an opinion to be taken seriously considering the accolades it received.

Nah. Either is tenable because it's arguing the same subjective assessment which is that a game is overrated.

Journey was a piece of dogshit that I never see anyone bring up, ever, since it came out, nobody talks about it wistfully or mentions it as a favorite personal experience. You can observe that on this forum. Memory-holed. I find it odd that someone who composed the following posts, here, would somehow praise Journey.

What Remains Of Edith Finch
Okay, so this my first official "walking simulator" game. I'll just say that the genre has earned it's reputation, if this is anything to go by. It's an adventure game, minus all the puzzles and gameplay elements that make them worthwhile. That all adds up to about a two hour "game", where all you do is walk around, look for the "interaction" prompt, and walk some more, while the story plays out. It's fucking atrocious, and insulting that they would charge more than $5 for this garbage. It's not "artistic", it's just plain lazy.

That said, I don't want to crap all over the story and direction, which is all well put together. It has an interesting story with a great setting, but you don't earn any of it. It's just given to you, like a pop-up book. It's so mindless and hollow. You know what would make this game decent? Some fucking gameplay, where you have to solve some problems to unlock the next revelation in the story. This game just says fuck all that, here is a story. That's it. There are no branching paths, or anything. It's just a linear story, where all you do is walk and have it told to you. "Gaming for Grandma" is what this genre should be called. It's embarrassing that a game like this gets any praise at all, and even wins awards. What the fuck are people smoking? This is the laziest shit ever. I LOVE adventure games. This isn't an adventure game. It's lazy bullshit. Might pass as VR tech demo, and that's about it.

4/10

I played that "Edith Finch" game that I think was from the same developer. Those types of "games" are pure shit, and I'll never understand how they caught on. You gotta give me something to do, other than walk through a story with no choice or interactivity.

This is from someone who LOVES adventure games. These "walking simulator" games have about as much immersion and interactivity as a pop up book. I want to strangle the hipster critics who gave these things high praise because the stories were "sooo emotional" and "will make you cry". I find those games insulting, quite frankly. More so, that they charge more than a dollar for them. They're such a sad joke.

 

[HereticBD]

Nah. Either is tenable because it's arguing the same subjective assessment which is that a game is overrated.

Journey was a piece of dogshit that I never see anyone bring up, ever, since it came out, nobody talks about it wistfully or mentions it as a favorite personal experience. You can observe that on this forum.

Dude, this sub-forum is made up of like 30 people, if that. It's not indicative of much. If I were to go on Youtube, I'm sure I could find plenty of recent videos praising "Journey" as an indie classic, accompanied by thousands of comments sharing that same sentiment. Not that it really matters. I mean, you don't see anybody talking about "Grim Fandango" in here either. It doesn't mean it's a piece of shit that nobody likes.

As for specific critiques, they're not absolute, as if there's a rule that if you don't like how some game does something, you must not like it in any other game. You see this in movie critiques all the time. There's not a binary system to this. In this case, "Journey" was far more enjoyable to me, because it's abstract story telling, music and amazing visual art style, is more interesting to me than essentially reading a pop up book, like "Edith Finch". It's also more "game-like" in that it's a platformer, that, while not difficult, you can still get the same satisfaction of hitting those jumps and ramps, and just feels good to play. The only real similarities between the two games, is that they're easy, short and linear, focused on telling a story more than anything. They're two completely different styles of games, though.

That all said, you don't have to like one or the other. It's really not a big deal.

 

[Madmick]

Dude, this sub-forum is made up of like 30 people, if that. It's not indicative of much. If I were to go on Youtube, I'm sure I could find plenty of recent videos praising "Journey" as an indie classic, accompanied by thousands of comments sharing that same sentiment. Not that it really matters. I mean, you don't see anybody talking about "Grim Fandango" in here either. It doesn't mean it's a piece of shit that nobody likes.

Is that true? Pretty sure I've plenty of love for that game over the years in here. I spy a false equivalency.

Feels like whenever these threads are made people refuse to acknowledge anything past the year 2000 and especially 2010 and onwards. I think I've said this before but 2017 is slept on so much.

Super Mario Odyssey
Zelda Breath of the Wild
Horizon Zero Dawn
Nioh
Nier Automata
Persona 5
Cuphead
Resident Evil 7
Sonic Mania
Divinity II
Hollow Knight
What Remains of Edith Finch
Yakuza 0

Might be a few more I'm missing but I think it was a really strong year. A lot of fan favorites from each franchise came out this year. So while it lacked some originality many of the games stand among the best in the franchise like Yakuza, Mario, Zelda, Nier, Resident Evil, Persona, Sonic, etc. Some memorable indies too.

when I was a kid my cousin gave me Vectorman for the sega genesis. I enjoyed the hell out of that game. More recently would probably be one night I was scrolling gamepass looking for something free to try out and i went with What Remains of Edith Finch. I beat it in one sitting and felt like it was a game that showed games can be art.

Disco Elysium is on a league of its own when it comes to writing, and in the genre nothing comes close. I think Myst and Riven remain in many ways unsurpassed when it comes to world-building in games, so it you are into that kind of immersive puzzle game I highly recommend Obduction by the same developers (Cyan). Very different than DE, but really worth a watch. Riven remains beyond words, even if it is technologically as dated as they come; it is a degree of maturity one wishes more developers had. That it is 16 years old blows my mind.

Kentucky Route Zero is definitely worth it for some gritty americana realism, with good writing. What Remains of Edith Finch is a good narrative game, just don't expect much in the way of gameplay.

Control was fun for sure, and immeasurably more entertaining than AW2. It was kinetic and very satisfying mechanically, even if you decided to ignore the story (which I found mostly silly and pretentious dystopian psychological thriller / horror sci-fi).

100% agree. I'm a similiar age and find it very hard to get lost in a game like I used to.

1999-2004 was probably peak immersive gaming for me (is it any coincidence that I lost my virginity in 2004?).

Some exceptions stand out in recent memory, but they are very different types of games than I used to get lost in:

-Gone Home
-What Remains of Edith Finch
-Warhammer 2: Total War
-Elden Ring
-The Last of Us 1 and 2
-Doki Doki Literature Club

What became of Edith Finch (I think that’s what it’s called). Very clever and original, more a sad story than an action packed game. Well worth a look the comic book gameplay part is great.

Finished What Remains of Edith Finch. A much better outing by Annapurna then the shitshow that was Gone Home. Interesting story and unique presentation. It was refreshing to go through a "walking simulator" that held my interest.

8/10.

Need a couple more achievements for full 1000/1000.

I've been on the same hunt recently. Here are some I can recommend (although some you have mentioned). No particular order but all good, unique and memorable. All available on Steam and some on console.

Axiom Verge
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
A Boy and His Blob (Remake)
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Castle Crashers
Celeste
Cuphead
Dear Esther
Detention
FEZ
Firewatch
Gris
Headlander
Her Story
Hotline Miami
Hotline Miami 2
Hyper Light Drifter
Iconoclasts
INSIDE
LIMBO
The Messenger
Nex Machina
Odallus
Owlboy
Ruiner
Shovel Knight
Slain: Back from Hell
Spelunky
Super Meat Boy
Thomas Was Alone
What Became of Edith Finch

If I had to pick absolute must-plays from that list, Limbo and Inside. Those were jaw dropping to me. Celeste was really memorable. Annoying but it kept making you want to play and get further. The Messenger is probably my 2018 Indie GOTY though. If you like Ninja Gaiden mixed with Metrodvania, it's very much worth playing.

 

[Zazen]

Chris Bell was one of the main game designers for Journey and was credited as the sole game designer of What Remains of Edith Finch so there is definitely a spiritual connection between the two games.

I may have never played Journey but I know plenty of friends who have enjoyed it and strongly recommend I try it. It's not for everyone but there isn't a game out there that doesn't have its share of haters.

Did What Remains of Edith Finch win anything? Absolute masterpiece. I became a father in the year that I played it and certain parts of that game destroyed me. One of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in gaming. However, I don’t want to ever play it again lol

 

[HereticBD]

Is that true? Pretty sure I've plenty of love for that game over the years in here. I spy a false equivalency.

Err...the game referenced was "Grim Fandango". Of course "Edith Finch" has been talked about in here. It's an 8th gen stand out. Since you're being petty, though...

Journey is a beautiful experience.

Journey

Journey is great though not a traditional gaming experience. More of a walking sim with some platforming.

Journey moved me.

See? Talked about. You really got an axe to grind against that fucker, don't ya? LOL.