The polls are closed and your votes counted for the PlayStation Blog Game of the Year 2022. The winners of these awards, spanning 16 categories, have been shaped entirely by player choice. A thank you to everyone who voted and – given the strength of titles released in the past 12 months – were stuck with some difficult decisions to make. And of course, our thanks to all the studios whose games have helped define PlayStation’s 2022.  Now, on to the winners!  Best New Character PlayStation Blog's 2022 Platinum trophy for best new character Thor | God of War Ragnarök 2022 wasn’t short of memorable performances and iconic figures.

For every fan sketch of Elden Ring’s fearsome Malenia, there was a cat owner seeing characteristics of their own finely-furred companion in Stray’s feline lead. And despite both offering riveting performances, a masterclass in manipulation could not outclass the heft – and directness – of a hammer. Father lost out to son, as Thor places Mjölnir down to hold aloft the Platinum Trophy for this year’s Best New Character award.  PlayStation Blog's 2022 Gold trophy for best new character Cat | Stray PlayStation Blog's 2022 Silver trophy for best new character Odin | God of War Ragnarök PlayStation Blog's 2022 Bronze trophy for best new character Malenia | Elden Ring Best Story PlayStation Blog's 2022 Platinum trophy for best story God of War Ragnarök The next chapter in the story of Kratos and Boy Atreus clearly resonated with many. We won’t go into specifics here so not to spoil anything for those still exploring the Nine Realms, but with fates in the balance, character arcs deepening our understanding of favorite characters and beats that caused us to catch our breath, Santa Monica Studio took on the unenviable challenge of following up a highly celebrated story with another that matched it both for spectacle and moments that resonated.  PlayStation Blog's 2022 Gold trophy for best story The Last of Us Part I PlayStation Blog's 2022 Silver trophy for best story Elden Ring PlayStation Blog's 2022 Bronze trophy for best story Horizon Forbidden West PlayStation Graphical Showcase PlayStation Blog's 2022 Platinum trophy for best graphical showcase God of War Ragnarök All the top contenders for this category leveraged stellar performances across PS4 and PS5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II was lauded for its near-photorealistic rendering of Amsterdam. FromSoftware’s Limgrave was an open world as beautiful as it was dangerous. Guerrilla’s sprawling landscapes were dense with lush foliage, epic machine battles and Photo mode-worthy sunsets. Category winner God of War Ragnarok packed Nine Realms-worth visual splendor for a powerhouse performance on both consoles. Congratulations to Santa Monica Studio and the other winners for making our collective jaws drop, time and time again.  PlayStation Blog's 2022 Gold trophy for best graphical showcase Horizon Forbidden West PlayStation Blog's 2022 Silver trophy for best graphical showcase Elden Ring PlayStation Blog's 2022 Bronze trophy for best graphical showcase Call of Duty Modern Warfare II Best Art Direction PlayStation Blog's 2022 Platinum trophy for best art direction God of War Ragnarök The artists behind 2022’s top titles were firing on all creative cylinders. We marveled at myriad sights, from the blood-red skies and rotting dragons of Elden Ring’s Caelid to the mysterious runes of Horizon Forbidden West’s sandswept Las Vegas. However, it was Santa Monica Studio’s fusion of photorealism and mythical fantasy that captured PlayStation players’ imaginations. The dev team delivered nine visually distinct realms each experiencing the effects of Fimbulwinter with unique visual flair. That’s not even to mention the colorful blasts punctuating each of Angrboda’s supporting attacks, turning the battlefield into a piece of art by itself. Hats off to these talented teams establishing unforgettable artistic visions for 2022’s best games.