The Game Awards are about more than celebrating that particular year’s best titles. It’s also a chance to stoke hype for games on the horizon, through announcements, teasers and first looks. The 2021 show, live streamed last Thursday night from Los Angeles, was no different.

Now, you could always watch the 4-hour recording of the ceremony below if you want the full experience. Alternatively, you can read one of the dozen articles, like this one, that meticulously reported every single trailer drop (there were around 50) from the event.

We’re narrowing things down to our top five announcements, but honourable mentions must go upfront to:

Wonder Woman

Coming out of absolutely nowhere was the news that we’re getting a single player open-world action game centred on the most iconic female superhero of them all: Wonder Woman. The game is being developed by Monolith Productions, creators of Lord of the Rings titles Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and sequel Shadow of War. Meanwhile, the plot sees Diana “fight to unite her Amazon family and humans from the modern world.”

The possibility of exploring Themyscira excites us most of all, but the game’s use of Monolith’s patented Nemesis System (already key to the Shadow games) is intriguing. Wonder Woman’s interactions with NPCs will impact her relationship with allies and enemies, dynamically altering the storyline and Diana’s evolution into a leader.

Alan Wake 2

Far less of a surprise, given how long it’s been teased (including in Control), is Remedy’s long-awaited Alan Wake 2. Set for release in 2023, 10 years since the original debuted, Alan Wake 2 is coming to PC – via Epic Game Store – PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The sequel is Remedy’s first horror survival game, while the original Alan Wake was primarily an action game with horror elements. As expected, the game will centre on Stephen King-esque author Alan Wake and his attempts to escape the nightmare plane that is The Dark Place.

Thirsty Suitors

If you’ve ever bemoaned the lack of games that combine RPG turn-based battles, skateboarding sections and cooking challenges, it’s time to wishlist Thirsty Suitors. Coming soon from Falcon Age developers Outerloop Games, and indie publishing giant Annapurna Interactive, this story-driven adventure looks wild, weird and wonderful – blending together the lesser depicted Indian cultural/immigrant experience and big Scott Pilgrim energy. Bonus points for having a woman as the game’s main character: a rebellious, mistake-prone heart breaker.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

It’s been 2 years since Dark Ages-set adventure Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II was announced at the 2019 Game Awards. At this year’s show, audiences were treated to six minutes of gameplay footage from developers Ninja Theory – showing tormented heroine Senua (a performance captured Melina Juergens) lead a band of warriors against Old World gods. Sequel Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is coming exclusively to Xbox and Windows PC. No word yet on a release date.

Steelrising

Look, it may be a case of style over substance, and it features the dreaded descriptor “Souls-like,” but action RPG Steelrising looks like it will scratch a lot of itches. Primarily there’s the game’s screaming-to-be-cosplayed heroine Aegis, an automaton as comfortable with hard-hitting combat as she is assassination and dance. From French development house Spiders – the makers of 17th Century action fantasy GreedFall – Steelrising is set in an alternate reality French Revolution, where insane King Louis XVI’s steampunk army is terrorising the citizens of Paris. Of course, you take up the cause of the resistance. Steelrising releases in June 2022 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.