If you haven’t checked out the nominees for the 2022 Lusties – GameLuster’s annual sitewide Game Awards, featuring tons of fun and unique categories – you can do so here. While the GameLuster staff narrowed down our nominations and is currently hard at work carefully selecting our winners, I (GameLuster’s very own Kate) have brought in two experts to predict who will win each category…
…and by “experts”, I mean “my parents,” who are proud non-gamers and haven’t played a video game since Pac-Man on arcade machines in the 80s (but are super supportive of their child’s rather “out there” career choice). They made their picks based entirely on each game’s title and cover, with no additional information (except for anything they might have picked up when talking to me throughout the year). Their choices – with reasoning included – are listed below:
Thank you so much to my Mom & Dad for agreeing to this! You guys are the best and I love you both lots!
Best Narrative
Mom’s Pick: Digimon Survive
Mom’s Reasoning: I liked that there was both a human and an animal on the cover
Dad’s Pick: Digimon Survive
Dad’s Reasoning: I like the dinosaur on the cover
Best New IP
Mom’s Pick: Triangle Strategy
Mom’s Reasoning: The guy on the cover was cute
Dad’s Pick: Ghost Wire
Dad’s Reasoning: None
Biggest Disappointment
Mom’s Pick: Chocobo GP
Mom’s Reasoning: Looks too silly for me
Dad’s Pick: Chocobo GP
Dad’s Reasoning: It had the worst-looking cover
Tear Jerker
Mom’s Pick: Endling
Mom’s Reasoning: Extinction…need I say more!!!
Dad’s Pick: Citizen Sleeper
Dad’s Reasoning: I liked the name
Best Trailer for an Upcoming Space Survival Horror Game
Mom’s Pick: Pragmata
Mom’s Reasoning: That girl looks SCARY!
Dad’s Pick: ILL
Dad’s Reasoning: None
Best Villain
Mom’s Pick: Tearer
Mom’s Reasoning: The masked dude looks evil enough
Dad’s Pick: Volo
Dad’s Reasoning: None
Jolly Vibes
Mom’s Pick: Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Mom’s Reasoning: None
Dad’s Pick: Powerwash Simulator
Dad’s Reasoning: I like power washing!
Excellence in Diversity
Mom’s Pick: I Was a Teenage Exocolonist
Mom’s Reasoning: I had a hard time picking a fave here, but I went with this one
Dad’s Pick: Citizen Sleeper
Dad’s Reasoning: I liked the name
Best Soundtrack
Mom’s Pick: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
Mom’s Reasoning: I figure the music would be upbeat and appeal to kids
Dad’s Pick: Elden Ring
Dad’s Reasoning: None
Best with Buddies
Mom’s Pick: The Quarry
Mom’s Reasoning: The cover makes it look like it would be a good group game
Dad’s Pick: The Quarry
Dad’s Reasoning: Same as Mom’s
Best Boss Fight
Mom’s Pick: Radahn
Mom’s Reasoning: Based on the art, it looks like a fight’s brewing!
Dad’s Pick: Volo
Dad’s Reasoning: None
Character Who Should Become CEO of Twitter
Mom’s Pick: Cat from Stray
Mom’s Reasoning: Everyone knows that cats have their act together!
Dad’s Pick: Rock Caterpillar from Elden Ring
Dad’s Reasoning: None
Excellence in Design
Mom’s Pick: Elden Ring
Mom’s Reasoning: Cover looks solid
Dad’s Pick: Horizon Forbidden West
Dad’s Reasoning: Best cover
Best Living Game
Mom’s Pick: Valheim
Mom’s Reasoning: None
Dad’s Pick: Valheim
Dad’s Reasoning: None
Most Anticipated
Mom’s Pick: Spider-Man 2
Mom’s Reasoning: I LOVE Spiderman!!!
Dad’s Pick: Spider-Man 2
Dad’s Reasoning: I like Spider-Man
Indie Game of the Year
Mom’s Pick: Powerwash Simulator
Mom’s Reasoning: I would like a game about cleaning
Dad’s Pick: Powerwash Simulator
Dad’s Reasoning: I like power washing!
Game of the Year
Mom’s Pick: Either AI The Somnium Files: Nirvana Initiative or Elden Ring
Mom’s Reasoning: I chose both as they showed up in many categories. Although if I had to pick just one it would probably be Elden Ring
Dad’s Pick: Elden Ring
Dad’s Reasoning: Recognized the name
What do you think about Kate’s parents’ picks for the Lusties winners? Do you think they’re right on the money, or were they off the mark in a few categories? Will Powerwash Simulator finally be the game that gets them to play a video game? Comment below and let us know your thoughts!
You can also let us know which games you’d pick in each category either here or on our Twitter account, where we are Tweeting out the nominations each day. And don’t forget to check back on December 14th for the official announcement of the Lusties 2022 winners – and to see how accurate Kate’s parents’ predictions were!
