GOTY Ledger

Insights

Operator-curated GOTY data picks covering critic gaps, GOTY overperformance, and strongly supported outsiders.

GOTY surprises in the data

Record-minded picks curated by the site operator.

High critics, low GOTY share

Games with strong metascores but comparatively low cumulative GOTY share.

  1. #1

    Hades II

    Original Metascore95
    2025
    Cumulative score share
    2.8%
    Meta-GOTY gap
    92.2 pts
    Reflected sources
    7
    Winner selections
    7

  2. #2

    Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

    Original Metascore93
    2018
    Cumulative score share
    1.2%
    Meta-GOTY gap
    91.8 pts
    Reflected sources
    4
    Winner selections
    4

  3. #3

    Demon's Souls Remake

    Remake Metascore92
    2020
    Cumulative score share
    0.3%
    Meta-GOTY gap
    91.7 pts
    Reflected sources
    3
    Winner selections
    1

  4. #4

    Half-Life: Alyx

    Original Metascore93
    2020
    Cumulative score share
    2.3%
    Meta-GOTY gap
    90.7 pts
    Reflected sources
    10
    Winner selections
    9

  5. #5

    Super Mario Bros. Wonder

    Original Metascore92
    2023
    Cumulative score share
    1.5%
    Meta-GOTY gap
    90.5 pts
    Reflected sources
    21
    Winner selections
    3

  6. #6

    Microsoft Flight Simulator

    Original Metascore91
    2020
    Cumulative score share
    0.5%
    Meta-GOTY gap
    90.5 pts
    Reflected sources
    5
    Winner selections
    2

GOTY strength beyond critic score

Games with modest or midrange metascores that still performed strongly in GOTY aggregation.

  1. #1

    Death Stranding

    Original Metascore82
    2019
    Cumulative score share
    26.9%
    Meta-GOTY gap
    55.1 pts
    Reflected sources
    56
    Winner selections
    56

  2. #2

    Resident Evil Village

    Original Metascore84
    2021
    Cumulative score share
    13.2%
    Meta-GOTY gap
    70.8 pts
    Reflected sources
    43
    Winner selections
    39

  3. #3

    Ghost of Tsushima

    Original Metascore83
    2020
    Cumulative score share
    11.8%
    Meta-GOTY gap
    71.2 pts
    Reflected sources
    49
    Winner selections
    46

  4. #4

    Control

    Original Metascore82
    2019
    Cumulative score share
    9.2%
    Meta-GOTY gap
    72.8 pts
    Reflected sources
    19
    Winner selections
    19

  5. #5

    Black Myth: Wukong

    Original Metascore81
    2024
    Cumulative score share
    8%
    Meta-GOTY gap
    73 pts
    Reflected sources
    30
    Winner selections
    22

  6. #6

    Helldivers 2

    Original Metascore82
    2024
    Cumulative score share
    3.3%
    Meta-GOTY gap
    78.7 pts
    Reflected sources
    24
    Winner selections
    8

Strong support outside the top tier

Games outside each year's top five that were strongly backed by the sources that selected them.

  1. #1

    Divinity: Original Sin II

    Original Metascore93
    2017
    Winner rate
    100%
    Year rank
    #6
    Score share
    3.1%
    Reflected sources
    11
    Winner selections
    11

  2. #2

    Persona 5

    Original Metascore93
    2017
    Winner rate
    100%
    Year rank
    #7
    Score share
    3.1%
    Reflected sources
    10
    Winner selections
    10

  3. #3

    Assassin's Creed Origins

    Original Metascore85
    2017
    Winner rate
    100%
    Year rank
    #8
    Score share
    2.5%
    Reflected sources
    8
    Winner selections
    8

  4. #4

    The Outer Worlds

    Original Metascore85
    2019
    Winner rate
    100%
    Year rank
    #6
    Score share
    3.2%
    Reflected sources
    7
    Winner selections
    7

  5. #5

    Fire Emblem: Three Houses

    Original Metascore89
    2019
    Winner rate
    100%
    Year rank
    #7
    Score share
    2.9%
    Reflected sources
    6
    Winner selections
    6

  6. #6

    Donkey Kong Bananza

    Original Metascore91
    2025
    Winner rate
    100%
    Year rank
    #6
    Score share
    2.4%
    Reflected sources
    6
    Winner selections
    6