The Game of the Year nominees have arrived, with 12 nominations for the RPG you're all rooting for

The nominees for Game of the Year have been revealed, and they're not exactly what I expected. Clair Obscur Expedition 33 was always a shoe-in, given how widely praised Sandfall's debut RPG has been by both media and players alike-it's already on our list of the best RPGs, which is just as prestigious as The Game Awards. But alongside it, there's a surprising inclusion and some conspicuous absences.

Fellow Blue Prince sickos, I've got bad news. I never expected Dogubomb's puzzler to get a nod for the show's biggest gong, but some other indies have made the cut. Hades 2 joins Clair Obscur Expedition 33 in the Game of the Year nominees, and Hollow Knight: Silksong rounds out the indies.

With those three shoe-ins out the way, the final three spots are taken by Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and Donkey Kong Bananza. I'm stoked to see Kingdom Come getting the attention it deserves, especially as it released so early in the year, and Death Stranding feels like it'll always have a place on the GOTY roster.

But Donkey Kong Bananza is a surprise inclusion on the list, not least because nobody I spoke to particularly enjoyed it. It was, well, fine, but hardly anything groundbreaking from the team who created Mario Galaxy.

Ghost of Yotei didn't make the cut, nor did late bloomers Battlefield 6 or Arc Raiders. While some may lament Split Fiction's absence, I feel justified in my professional dislike for it, given it's a game about two writers that's terribly written, and leans heavily on a steady slew of references to famous IPs despite promoting creativity.

Battlefield 6 did receive nods for best audio design, best action game, and best multiplayer (Arc Raiders was also nominated for the latter), but Clair Obscur was the runaway winner, with 12 nominations across all categories, including three for its voice performances. That's more nominations than any game has received before at the ceremony. I was also glad to see some of my favorite indie games noted in the Games for Impact category, including Despelote and Consume Me.

If you're looking to cast your vote, you can head to the Game of the Year website right now. I know what I'm voting for; do you?