Cooldown Time: Where Console Gamers Unplug

11 awards, 11 winners. It all comes down to this. Part 1 of our Game of the Year awards special starts now.

Time Stamps:

Introduction/Category rundown: 00:00:00

Best Visuals/Art Style: 00:05:32

Best Sound: 00:45:07

Best Multiplayer: 00:54:06

Best Moment/Sequence: 00:59:24

Character of The Year: 01:28:41

Best Story: 01:49:48

Middest Game: 02:11:01

Booty Juice of The Year: 02:28:19

The Anything Goes Award: 02:46:35

Biggest Disappointment: 02:56:12

Biggest Surprise: 03:06:19

Summary/Outro: 03:17:14

Null/Invalid###: 03:19:43

We’re making some spicy 2023 predictions for acquisitions, announcements, delays, and console drama for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox.

We're giving out letter grades to all the major third parties for 2022 – including Activision, Ubisoft, Capcom, and more. Also... The Last of Us Part III is real, so let's talk about it. Plus, updates on a rumored Xbox showcase and the games we're playing such as Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion, The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, High on Life, and Marvel's Midnight Suns.

We're putting Geoff Keighley in the hot seat to critique the winners, losers, and announcements from The Game Awards. Also, Phil Spencer threw shade at Sony... but was he justified? And do we hate The Callisto Protocol like the rest of the internet? Oh... and the loser behind Days Gone thinks we're all too "woke" to appreciate his game. Yup. Roasting session.

We're making OpenCritic score predictions for 2023's most anticipated games such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Starfield, Final Fantasy XVI, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Hogwarts Legacy, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Redfall, and much more.

Nintendo (and their ancient Switch hardware) is up next for a review for 2022. Also, our thoughts on the next-gen upgrade for The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, Bayonetta 4, Pokémon Scarlet/Violet, Vampire Survivors, and The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station

It’s time to give Xbox a grade for 2022. Also, did The Game Awards get it right with their nominations? We also played Pentiment, Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, God of War Ragnarok, and Somerville. Oh, and hold up... Pokemon is trash again?

Jim Ryan? Come to the front of the congregation. PlayStation is getting a grade for 2022. And does God of War: Ragnarök REALLY live up to the hype? Also, our Mass Effect 5 teaser analysis, Gears of War Netflix movie casting predictions, and first impressions of Sonic Frontiers.

Our 2022 end-of-year coverage begins with our hidden gems of 2022. Plus, our thoughts on the return of Deus Ex, God of War: Ragnarok reviews, the price of PlayStation VR2, and Remedy Entertainment's exciting updates for the Max Payne Remake, Alan Wake 2, and Control. Also, an in-depth discussion about Bayonetta 3... and it's not gonna be pretty. Buckle up.

Cooldown Time is a weekly show where video games, microphones, beer, and sleep deprivation collide for a unique spin on gaming discourse. Subscribe to our show and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @itscooldowntime if you're feeling cool.

For Halloween, we're bringing six dead horror franchises back from the grave. Also, our takes on The Witcher Remake and the exciting next-gen Fallout news. Plus, our impressions of Bayonetta 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Gotham Knights, Marvel Snap, SIGNALIS, and A Plague Tale: Requiem.