It’s that time of the year once again where we celebrate games and the gaming industry, as The Game Awards is right around the corner. The best of the best will make an appearance at the event, but only a select few will be crowned as winners by the end of the night.

We here at OMG are very much looking forward to it, so much in fact, that apart from perfectly predicting the nominees, we have our own thoughts as to who the winners might be for this year. It’s not easy, and this lineup is arguably too close to call unlike the past couple of years, but here’s how we think it’ll all go down.

Ram, editor – Hades

The selection of Game of the Year titles this year is pretty tough. I, personally, will narrow it down to Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Hades. ACNH, as rough around the edges as it was especially in the multiplayer execution, its release came out at a time where people had to go into physical distancing because of the global pandemic. This brought together people and friends together despite being apart in real life. On the other hand, Hades brought a new twist to the roguelike dungeon genre. Where it shines is in the story telling which slowly unfolds the more you play and do more runs. This in the addition of the colorful personalities, from the edgy protagonist Zagreus, the ever brooding Hades himself and the cast of other Greek gods to the random personalities you meet on your escape from the Underworld. I think because of the impressive and unique execution, I’ll give it to Hades.

Ricki, editor – Ghost of Tsushima

It boils down to Ghost of Tsushima or Final Fantasy VII Remake, but Jin Sakai’s edge of being a well received new IP sealed the deal for me. I wasn’t exactly hyped by Ghost of Tsushima, but positive word of mouth just got me extremely curious and I’ve never regretted the experience. After spending a considerable amount of time with it, I can confidently say I love this game.

The island of Tsushima was so beautifully made that I lost count how many times I would stop simply to take in the amazing landscapes wherever I go. The combat was also very strategic and there’s that simple satisfaction of wiping the blood off your katana before sheathing it like a badass samurai would after a fight. Audio like the music and sound effects were also atmospheric and playing both with Japanese and English voices was equally enjoyable. Jin Sakai’s tale of having to abandon samurai traditions for the ways of the Ghost as he tries to save his homeland was an engaging tale to follow, along with a cast of memorable supporting characters.

Simply put, Ghost of Tsushima is a fresh new IP that’s amazing both in visuals, sounds, and gameplay. Anybody that owns a PlayStation 4 or 5 must simply experience this game.

Niel, editor – The Last of Us Part II

The Last Of Us 2 is my Game Of The Year, hands-down, even in this all-killer list. If there was at least one good thing about 2020, it’s that this whole list of games came out this year, and TLOU2 is at the head of the pack.

Why, you may ask, would I pick something so controversial; a purported agenda-ridden product built to shove “wokeness” into our fragile gamer safe-space? I have to say, all the tears and coping from the game’s, and Neil Druckman’s, and Ashley Johnson’s, detractors provide me with enough positive energy to indefinitely sustain my nutritional needs when the actual fungal apocalypse comes – I wouldn’t need to eat a single candy bar to restore my health as I hone my shivs and collect surplus ammunition from neat little piles that fall over as I pass by them.

The Last Of Us 2 is a seminal work, akin to how Half Life changed the way an FPS told a story in-game. It hurdled a bandwagoning phenomenon that amplified the deleterious opinions of a sparse few even before any human being had actually played it. Naughty Dog had the courage to both take and act on feedback from TLOU1’s players constructively, and stand by some of their own decisions for the TLOU2. I’m gonna say it: the game is a work of art (sue me). It doesn’t make any of the other games on the GOTY nominees list bad – it’s just that good.

Vince, editor – Hades

If October was any indication in how much I love this game, this fourth title from Supergiant Games is their masterpiece they’ve been building up from Bastion and Transistor. They’ve re-imagined the rogue-like in such a fantastic manner and created an addictive experience where the player’s patience is tested for the long haul with its subtle narrative rewards and even a greater delayed gratification for its punishing experience. You can always switch on God Mode, but why would you? Paying back Hades with everything you’ve got for the punishment he dealt in itself is its own reward.

I gave Final Fantasy 7: Remake the GOTY originally but the more I thought about it, it felt like a cop-out on my part giving in to nostalgia (they’ve perfected Active Time Battle, you gotta give them that). Truth be told, I was saving this spot for Cyberpunk 2020 or Yakuza: Like A Dragon but somehow open world was not in the cards this year. Must be the extended periods alone that makes me feel like I’m endlessly traversing the maze of hell and every time I reach the surface, I have to go back inside because of lockdown conditions. Better luck in 2021.

Chris, editor in chief – Final Fantasy VII Remake

This list is as close as it gets but FF7R gets the nod from me simply because of the same reason I chose God of War over Red Dead Redemption 2 a couple of years ago. The risk the studio took in overhauling this game cannot be understated, especially for a classic such as FF7. Squeenix took that risk, redesigned the battle system, the soundtrack, everything, and still stuck the landing. The result? A superb effort that will be followed up by 2 or 3 more installments and will hopefully outdo one another.

I wouldn’t be mad nor surprised though if Hades somehow pulled the rug from underneath everyone.

Gian, big boss – Animal Crossing: New Horizons

If there’s any game that made me feel better and left a lasting impression this 2020, it would be Animal Crossing: New Horizons. This game kickstarted One More Game last March with our fellow content creators in the industry, and it virtually transported me to an ideal social situation where I got to “be with friends and family”. It’s an amazing detachment from a challenging reality and a virtual escape from the suffocating choke of social distancing. Every now and then, I would see myself turning on my Nintendo Switch to visit my island where there is no social distancing. In Zanarkand, you are free to welcome. In my place, you are free to wear your face mask or not.

We would like to thank everybody who has been supporting OMG this year, giving us huge numbers that we couldn’t have thought possible for a new site, and because of that, we have something up our sleeves!

Since we’re trying to predict the winner of the Game of the Year award, we figured everyone can join in on the fun and if you manage to guess it right, then we’re giving away a realme 7i to a lucky reader who can guess it right!

The realme 7i has a 90Hz 6.5-inch HD+ display, 5,000 mAh battery, and a 64 megapixel camera that you can use for all your needs, including mobile gaming! It’s definitely a great smartphone, affordable but punching above its weight in the specs department.

So how do you join? Simple! Just follow the mechanics below:

• Like and follow the One More Game Facebook Page.
• Subscribe and hit the notification bell on the One More Game YouTube Channel.
• Tag 1 friend and comment on THIS POST your prediction for Game of the Year 2020 from these choices – The Last of Us Part II, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Ghost of Tsushima, Doom Eternal, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Hades – with the hashtag #OMGameoftheYear. Example – “My Game of the Year for 2020 is The Last of Us Part II because it was an emotionally charged and satisfying sequel. #OMGameoftheYear”
• Share THIS POST. Remember to set the post to public, because we will check!

Simple, right? If you manage to correctly predict the winner of Game of the Year during The Game Awards which will happen on December 10, then you have a shot at winning the realme 7i! We will be choosing the winner at random from the correct predictions ONLY, so put on your thinking caps.

Please make sure to follow all the items posted above. Promo period will run from December 4 (Friday) from the time of posting until December 9, 11:59 PM (Wednesday). Any entries after the deadline will no longer qualify. We will be choosing and announcing a winner by December 14 (Monday).

The winner will be contacted on Facebook via PM by an official OMG representative who will then provide the next steps on how to claim the prize.

Good luck and again, thank you for supporting OMG!

The fine print:

• Members of One More Game, Gadget Pilipinas, and related Blip Media Brands as well as their families are prohibited from joining the promo.
• This contest is open to all participants in the Philippines nationwide.
• Winners will have to provide contact details so that the prize may be shipped to them.
• Multiple shares by the same participant will not result in more chances of winning.