The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (or BAFTA, if you’re after something a bit snappier) has announced the winners of this year’s BAFTA Games Awards – and it’s very much been Astro Bot’s night, with the acclaimed PlayStation 5 platformer taking home the gong in five categories including Best Game.
Astro Bot’s Best Game victory saw it win out over fellow nominees Balatro, Black Myth: Wukong, Helldivers 2, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, and Thank Goodness You’re Here. And it was equally successful in the BAFTA Games Awards’ Animation, Audio Achievement, Family, and Game Design categories.
Team Asobi’s Astro Bot didn’t entirely hog the limelight, however. Balatro, by developer LocalThunk, took the top spot in the Debut Game category, while Coal Supper’s superb comedy oddity Thank Goodness You’re Here was crowned Best British Game. Elsewhere, Arrowhead Game Studios’ Helldivers 2 secured two gongs – winning out in BAFTA’s multiplayer and Music categories – while Nomada Studio’s Neva won Artistic Achievement, and Atlus’ Metaphor: Metaphor: ReFantazio trumped fellow nominees for Narrative.
But we’re still not done! Surgent Studios’ Tales of Kenzera: Zau won the Game Beyond Entertainment category, Ninja Theory’s Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 came top in Technical Achievement, Vampire Survivors was deemed best Evolving Game, and The Chinese Room’s oil rig horror Still Wakes the Deep was named best New Intellectual Property. Speaking of which, Alec Newman was victorious in the Performer in a Leading Role category for his portrayal of Cameron “Caz” McLeary in Still Wakes the Deep, while Karen Dunbar took the gong for best Performer in Supporting Role as Finlay in the game.