The Game Awards has been through many changes over the past 17 years since its inception. Going from a cable TV sponsored point of contention in the gaming community to a fairly respected ceremony, in recent years, The gaming awards truly mean something special to not only the fans, but developers as well.

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Using review aggregator Metacritic, we've assembled all 17 Game of the Year winners to see how they compare to each other in the eyes of critics over the years. This article only contains the average scores for the game's initial launch platforms to maintain a sense of clarity and fairness. All the games on this list are worth playing, but the ones with the highest scores absolutely demand it.

6 Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014)

Score: 86.33 (PC + XBO  85/ PS4 89).

2014 Saw the launch of a new console generation and a general period of transition for the games industry. Releasing near the end of the year, Dragon Age: Inquisition brought together smart storytelling, in-depth RPG mechanics, detailed environments, and satisfying combat to create a recipe for an iconic game that still offers a great experience years later. While it may have since been overshadowed by the likes of The Witcher 3 and other fantasy RPGs, Inquisition and its developers can hold their heads high having created 2014's Game of The Year. We can't wait to find out what's in store for the sequel, with the only thing to go on being a small announcement in December of 2018 confirming it was in development.

5 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019)

Score: 89.66 (PC 88/PS4 90/XBO 91).

FromSoftware is famous (or infamous) for making unapologetically difficult games and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is no exception. In a departure from the Dark Souls and Bloodborne games before it, the titular character and the player are given only a sword and a modifiable mechanical arm with which to combat their enemies, instead of the large arsenal offered in the aforementioned titles. Variety of offense is replaced by a fluidity in combat unparalleled by any game before it.

Sekiro's story takes place in Japan during the Sengoku era and follows the titular shinobi on a journey to reclaim his pride and rescue his Lord after being nearly killed in battle protecting him. Along the way fantastical creatures and unique samurai enemies try to stop Sekiro, giving him new abilities as they're defeated until he is finally reunited with his Lord. Players must master the timing of their attacks and blocking, perfecting the art of the sword if they want to complete this massive and gorgeous game.

4 Overwatch (2016)

Score: 90.75 (PS4 90/PC + XBO 91).

Overwatch is one of the most enduring games on this list as a consistently popular shooter with a large esports community in the form of Overwatch League. As a highly accessible, teamwork based shooter Overwatch is the type of game you can play with a friend and simply pick-up without prior knowledge, but it also rewards experienced players with the potential for advanced techniques and coordination. It's a fast-paced and creative multiplayer game that doesn't reinvent the wheel, but takes the best parts of Activision's other popular franchises and mixes them into one great formula. With a sequel just announced including PvE modes and a story, Overwatch looks to be a lasting addition to Blizzard's lineup of gaming properties.

3 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015)

Score: 92 (XBO 91/PS4 92/PC 93).

Essentially the definitive fantasy RPG of this generation and the natural comparison for all games of the same genre going forward, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the most beautiful, impactful, and expansive games to date. Featuring over one-hundred hours of content and boasting two of the best DLC expansions ever released, The Witcher 3 is an enthralling experience gamers still discuss on a regular basis today.

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Following the stoic Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, The Witcher 3's story is a tale of monster slaying but also one of compassion and fatherly love. Geralt is in pursuit of his adopted daughter, Ciri, who is put at risk by the game's namesake: The Wild Hunt. Searching far and wide through The Continent, players traverse a diverse world with abundant enemies and allies resulting in one of the most memorable stories in video game history. The game's developers, CD Projekt Red, are currently putting the finishing touches on their next hotly anticipated game, Cyberpunk 2077.

2 God of War (2018)

Score: 94 (PS4).

God of War III was assumed to be the final entry in the God of War series for its original protagonist, Kratos, with an exhilarating story and satisfying ending for the character. Flash forward to 2018 and gamers were treated to a surprise return, featuring a grizzled and aged Kratos in a new setting with a son from a second marriage.

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Taking place in the realm of Nordic mythology, God of War is a soft reboot for the series that attempts to define its main character as more than a revenge-seeking killing machine and succeeds marvelously by turning him into a father figure. On a pilgrimage to the highest peak of a mountain to scatter the ashes of Kratos' recently deceased wife, players make their way through an emotional journey that incorporates genre-defining combat to keep them challenged along the way.

1 The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild (2017)

Score: 97 (96 on Wii U).

The Legend of Zelda game series is a staple of Nintendo's multiple iconic properties and has been around since the NES home console back in 1986. Although it has seen many changes both graphically and mechanically over the years, the series' main entries have generally been met with high praise but Breath of the Wild might just top all of its predecessors. Featuring highly detailed environments in HD with an expansive open world and an impressive physics engine, Breath of the Wild takes the compelling story of Link and Zelda's intertwined fates into the next generation. With all the mainstays of a Legend of Zelda game including puzzles, dungeons and satisfying combat, Breath of the Wild is essentially the biggest and best of the franchise to date. You would be hard-pressed to find anything to complain about here.

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