Catch Up On The Goty Conversation With These Game Awards Nominees...

The Golden Joystick Awards have passed, and with The Game Awards only being a few days away, the Game of the Year conversation is in full swing. Everyone is putting together their end-of-the-year lists, and for most of us the upcoming holiday break is an opportunity to catch up on some of the year's best games.

Not sure where to begin? Backlog too intense? Xbox Game Pass has some of this year's best and brightest, so take some time over the next few weeks to dive into a new game (or six) and discover your new favorites. Whether you're into combo-driven hand-cramping action or slower, meticulous strategy games, there's something for everyone on this list of nominees for The Game Awards (and one big winner from a previous year).

Since the release of the wall-jumping original in 1988, Ninja Gaiden has been known for demanding precision from players. The newest iteration is no exception, requiring that you practice your perfectly timed dodge in order to put your demon enemies in the katana blender. You'll be putting the new protagonist Yakumo through his paces in brutal, exacting battles that you'll want to master.

Nominated for Best Action Game, our review called Ninja Gaiden 4 "a vanishingly rare breed of fast, technical, flashy action game that thumbs its nose at the caution, stamina meters, and RPG systems." It will certainly have you working in the shadows, as any ninja worth their salt does, but you'll also be grinding rails, riding the air in a wingsuit, and surfing into a neon-soaked Tokyo nightclub. You want over-the-top? Ninja Gaiden 4 will put you there.

The first Outer Worlds was a blast, but I think it's fair to say that The Outer Worlds 2 is an upgrade in every sense. From the art deco, futurist design to the detailed skill tree, there's something here for every fan of branching dialogue, first-person RPGs. In the style of Obsidian's other games, you can, of course, approach most quests in a way that suits your playstyle. Which of your six companions would be the best fit for this mission? Is there a dialogue option here that gets you through this fight without drawing your raygun? Wouldn't it just be easier to go in blastin'?

For some folks, Fallout: New Vegas is the gold standard in first-person RPGs, and developer Obsidian Entertainment has been chasing that standard ever since., expanding the genre while still giving the people what they want. It's me, I'm people.

Worth the wait, right? Hollow Knight: Silksong, the most nominated game o

Source: PC Gamer