BEST STORYTELLING

RUNNER-UP MARVEL’S GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

Developer Eidos Montreal Publisher Square Enix Format PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series The triple-A action-adventure template leaves little room for narrative invention or humour. Credit, then, to Eidos Montreal’s writing team, for making not only the funniest blockbuster in an age, but investing us so thoroughly in this bickering bunch that we became more attached to them than their MCU counterparts.

RUNNER-UP WILDERMYTH

Developer/publisher Worldwalker Games Format PC The best videogame stories, they say, are the ones you tell yourself. And while Wildermyth has some lovely prose – just the right shade of purple – its real strength is that you can never be sure whether a given moment is an impossibly well-structured callback to an adventure hours before, or your brain making a random connection. A true magic trick.

WINNER UNPACKING

Developer Witch Beam Publisher Humble Games Format PC, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series No, it’s not just about tidying up. The title’s double meaning becomes clear as you grow to understand the significance of the presence (and absence) of specific items, and their position within its protagonist’s world. Through the acts of unboxing and putting away, this seemingly modest game delivers a masterclass in interactive storytelling.