I can't even fill half of the categories. :-x
That said:
Worth the wait: Persona 5
(I feel bad mentioning it cause I don't want to remind people of the wait, but it simply has to be for me)
Best Expansion: Witcher 3 - Blood and Wine
Best Strategy: Dota 2
(I play at a level where every major patch makes the game wildy different, but the recent patch is something else. It's actually just kind of a different game. I actually don't understand the game anymore on many of the more nuanced aspects, and I've been playing since beta days of dota 2. How do I move correctly y_y during the game)
A few of my own categories:
Best Mind Bone: The Witness
(I gnawed on this for the better part of the first half of the year and I still return to it once in a while just to find new things, to me it's always something special when a game can occupy your headspace for so long)
Best Soundtrack: Persona 5 :-x
Best Heartbreak(that I still liked): Zero Time Dilemma
(I want to say FFXV but I have not finished it, that said ZTD a game that tried something new and went for it and it didn't work, I can't fault it for that, especially heartbreaking when you see the fantastic cover art of the game + all these moments that showcase Uchikoshi still has it but it is just so apparent how limiting the "everything is a 3d scene", Telltale style has been to the game.)
Best Lore/Worldbuilding: Trails of Cold Steel II
(I've been down that rabbit hole the last few weeks, so many things to pick up on, so many theories, so many "what does it mean?" "I need answers now" x_X)
Best comfort game: Dark Souls III
(I loved DSIII, heck I did the platinum the most painful in the series, that said now at the end of the year it just didn't have the same sticking power haunting me with it's world like Bloodborne or DSI had and yet whenever I think about my time with it my mind conjures up a tremendous game.)
Best Discovery: YAKUZA
(I feel like I don't need to explain, Essence of Greatness)
Also I platted a scary amount of games this year x_X Dark Souls III, The Witness, ZTD, Cold Steel II, Persona 5, Yakuza 5. Send help @_@
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Favorite EZA content piece of the year: Trial of Kyle Bosman(I'm sorry for not picking music for Brad)
Favorite EZA meme: Does Ben own land?(I don't know this just cracks me up still)
Also treasure tracker looks like an amazing puzzle game.
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Also one thing that this year confirmed for me is that timing of when to play a game is important. I feel like I ruined my experience with XV a bit coming of off Persona 5 and dabbling into it while finishing up Cold Steel II(just too many RPGs). Maybe that's a dumb thing to say but what I experience/have experienced and how strong the impressions are left in my mind just colors my perception of things so much.