TheD.I.C.E. AwardsFinalistshave been listed for 2025, and there are some great games such asIndiana Jones & The Great Circleon the final list. There are some tried and true games leading the pack, as well as a few surprises. It is going to be fierce competition with the quality of the games presented, but fans will see the final verdict on July 22, 2025.

Winning Game of the Yearat any ceremony is an exciting thing for most game studios. There are a good number of great games every year, which always makes it hard to narrow it down to just a few games for every category, and even harder for the most prestigious one. However, the games on this list do deserve their time to shine, so check out the list of finalists below to see what games are poised for success.

Astro bot on a blurred background.

Outstanding Achievement In Animation

Games That Got The Animation Right

This category, decided on by theAcademy Of Interactive Arts & Sciences, has some very beautiful games in it,withAstro Botpotentially leading the way.

A New Funko Pop For Game Of The Year Astro Bot Is Up For Pre-Order, But Fans Better Get Theirs Quick

There is a new Funko Pop! for Astro Bot for pre-order in very limited quantity, and it comes after the game won Game Of The Year for 2024.

However, all of the games in this category look great and could take the Award home.

astro-bot-relaxing.jpg

Nomada

Saber Interactive

This is a great category to analyze because the games in it are always so aesthetically pleasing to look at. EvenBlack Ops 6andSpace Marine 2, although much more realistic, utilized incredible animation to make them look that way.

Outstanding Achievement In Art Direction

Games That Communicated The Visuals Well

Again, some great games in this category, and a couple of examples of games that were not able to be recognized before. For instance,Indiana Jones & The Great Circlewas not eligible for the GOTY Awards.

All Possible Futures

Ninja Theory

The other interesting additions here areLEGO Horizon AdventuresandThe Plucky Squire, the former of which has not been nominated for anything else.

Outstanding Achievement In Character

Games That Got The Heart Of The Story Right

Great characters are the heart of the story and, in many cases, are what drives a game forward. That’s not always the case in MMO games or in games with more customizable characters, but in the games listed here, the characters are the most important pieces.

1000xRESIST

Aloy holding a spear in LEGO Horizon Adventures.

Odd Meter

Indiana Jones & The Great Circleis back for this one, and the hard work the team put into turning Troy Baker into a younger Harrison Ford is commendable.

There Are 2 Easily Overlooked Features That Make Indiana Jones & The Great Circle A True Movie

The Great Circle has already been praised for its movie-like quality, but some features are overlooked when considering its immersive gameplay.

However, there are some other great choices here,includingINDIKA, which was nominated for a GOTY Award but did not get it.

Indika sits on a bench amid a wintry countryside scene

Outstanding Achievement In Original Music Composition

Soundtracks That Were Felt In The Soul

There is an interesting mix of games here,with three more traditional games, a co-op shooter, and a mobile gamethat was published by Netflix Games.Helldivers 2does have an amazing soundtrack, which makes it stand out compared to otherco-op shooter games.

ustwo games

Indiana Jones from the Game with the keyart.

Massive Entertainment

Monument Valley 3as a mobile game in this category is quite different, but there are a lot of great things about it.Star Wars Outlawshad the advantage of having a legacy of great music to pull from, even though the soundtrack itself is original. This will be a tough category for those deciding the winner.

Outstanding Achievement In Audio Design

Games That Set The Scene Well Through Sound

Many of these games are the same, withFrostpunk 2andStill Wakes The Deeptaking the last two spots. There are some great uses of audio in all of these games, many of them working hard to set the mood.

11 bit studios

Frostpunk 2 charactert covered in ash wearing goggles that show fire in the reflection, behind them is a snow covered city from above.

The Chinese Room

It is no wonder this category has some darker and more horror-themed games in them, as sound is such an important part of that genre. Without it,the games simply aren’t as scary, and the suspense is lost.

Outstanding Achievement In Story

Games That Get The Plot Right

This category had some lesser-known games in it, but ones that still deserve recognition.While these are all very different kinds of stories in very different genres, they are all still compelling in their own way.

Something likeStill Wakes The Deepis incredibly poignant and an emotional journey.

Thank Goodness You’re Here image showing a cow with its udders being pulled in a living room in front of a fireplace, its tongue is sticking out and it looks pleased.

Thank Goodness You’re Here! Review: Extraordinarily British & Unapologetically Weird

Thank Goodness You’re Here! is a short but delightful “slapformer” that takes players through a hilariously eccentric, extremely British town.

Thank Goodness You’re Here!is a fantastic comedy, whileIndiana Jones & The Great CircleandMetaphor: ReFantazioare more traditional stories for their genres.1000xRESISThas a very nonlinear and nontraditional plot, but one that is well-told and well-structured despite that.

Screenshot from Batman Arkham Shadow Gameplay Combat Challenge against Rat King Thugs armed and heavy types.

Outstanding Technical Achievement

Getting The Code Behind The Game Right

All of these games did things that went beyond what they normally might have.Indiana Jones& The Great Circlewas mentioned earlier for the way they recreated a great franchise.

These games are all some of the standouts throughoutthis year’s D.I.C.E. Finalists, so it will be interesting to see what happens in the end here.

Two skins for the Replacer in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

Action Game Of The Year

The Best Games That Are Driven By Action

One VR game in the mix will make things interesting, butBlack Myth: Wukongdid win theGame Of The Year at the Steam Awards for 2025.

Arrowhead Game Studios

SHIFT UP Corporation

The strong contenders in this category will make the final vote quite interesting, butBlack Myth: Wukongis likely to take it at the end of the day. It is by no means a guarantee, so fans will have to wait until the day of the Awards to find out.

Adventure Game Of The Year

The Ones That Took Players To The Best Places

Again, it is a category of great games, and all of them made big waves when they were first released.1000xRESISTappears in this category as well,and its uniqueness compared to the others could be a big point in its favor.

Nintendo, Grezzo

Ubisoft Montpellier

The Legend of Zeldatraditionally does quite well at various game awards, butAnimal Wellleft a very big impression on the community, andIndiana Jones & The Great Circlebeing quite recent is also a point in its favor.

Family Game Of The Year

The Best Games For Everyone

Astro Botmakes another appearance, andThe Plucky Squirealso comes back for a nice surprise. These games are all about being great for everyone,no matter their age.

Nintendo Cube

Cat Quest IIIwas a great game, andSuper Mario Party: Jamboreehas the advantage of coming from a big franchise on a family-oriented console.