GOTY (and PGOTY) Discussion

[BrawlMan]

The Best, Worst, and Blandest of 2022 - Zero Punctuation

This week on Zero Punctuation, Yahtzee recounts the five best, worst, and blandest video games of 2022, including Elden Ring & Saints Row.

www.escapistmagazine.com

I will say that in defense of Gotham Knight and the superhero genre. I do agree that you want to feel like the superhero on the box when you play a game like this. But I disagree with Yahtzee in that I think Gotham Knights does a great job of making you feel like the people on the box, the problem is that the people on the box suck. Playing as Batman is kind of boring, it's worse when you're just playing as a crew of wannabe Batmans.

I am surprised Trek to Yomi even got on his blands list. It doesn't upset me, but whatever. You damn right Frontiers and Ragnarök ain't going to be on either of your bad or bland list. I will give Yahtzee that.

 

[CriticalGaming]

I am surprised Trek to Yomi even got on his plans list. It doesn't upset me, but whatever. You damn right Frontiers and Ragnarok ain't going to be on either of your bad or bland list. I will give Yahtzee that.

There is a subtle at the end of the video where he acknowledges they are good, leave him alone lol.

 

[BrawlMan]

There is a subtle subtitle at the end of the video where he acknowledges they are good, leave him alone lol.

I noticed. He's a big man. He can take it. He was being harsh; I was only throwing it back at him.

 

[CriticalGaming]

I noticed. He's a big man. He can take it. He was being harsh; I was only throwing it back at him.

The video has made me realize that Yahtzee and I have absolutely nothing in common with games we like. Lol. And you'd think after watching him all these years, I would be able to predict his choices, but nope I have no clue. The shit I think he'd love, he hates, and the stuff I thought he would hate, he loves. It's like all his reviews have been prepping me for nothing at all.

 

[BrawlMan]

The video has made me realize that Yahtzee and I have absolutely nothing in common with games we like.

I figured that out when I was 18.

I would be able to predict his choices, but nope I have no clue. The shit I think he'd love, he hates, and the stuff I thought he would hate, he loves.

By 2011, I could mostly predict what his reaction would be, but not everything I got right. It eventually got to a point where I stopped caring. I will say that I did smile, when he enjoyed Streets of Rage 4. Even then I have my disagreements with him on the game being too difficult. You played God Hand, Yahztee (or so you claimed in your MadWorld review). That game is way tougher than all four SOR games combined. He should be used to this type of tough game. That, and he seemed to forget/didn't know that the old SOR games have continues, and let you start immediately where you died. The only brawlers that had you start the stage over after losing all lives are most SNES brawlers, when not playing in co-op. Assuming the game had co-op.

 

[CriticalGaming]

I figured that out when I was 18.

By 2011, I could mostly predict what his reaction would be, but not everything I got right. It eventually got to a point where I stopped caring. I will say that I did smile, when he enjoyed Streets of Rage 4. Even then I have my disagreements with him on the game being too difficult. You played God Hand, Yahztee (or so you claimed in your MadWorld review). That game is way tougher than all four SOR games combined. He should be used to this type of tough game. That, and he seemed to forget/didn't know that the old SOR games have continues, and let you start immediately where you died. The only brawlers that had you start the stage over after losing all lives are most SNES brawlers, when not playing in co-op. Assuming the game had co-op.

I mean his reviews have always been for more comedy than for any real recommendations. Still it is nice to see which way a reviewer you like sways on any given title.

Im just glad FF7 Remake didnt make his top, mid, bot list for 2020 or i would have rioted.

 

[BrawlMan]

I mean his reviews have always been for more comedy than for any real recommendations.

Tell that to the sycophants of his misaimed fandom, or those who (still) treat angry reviewers as the gospel. I've said before, and I will say it again: Being comedy or satire does not make one immune, nor excuse someone from criticism. You and I both know people used that excuse on a game Yahtzee reviewed, and those who hated or were indifferent towards the game. When it was a game or franchise they love or actually cared about, then they drop the "it's a comedy!" attitude or say, "Yahtzee is wrong, misguided, too harsh, or not harsh enough!".

 

[BrawlMan]

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[BrawlMan]

I will say that RE4R, Hi-Fi Rush Dead Space Remake, and Double Dragon Gaiden are on my personal 2023 GOTY list. Alan Wake II will more than likely be on there as well when it releases.

 

[Specter Von Baren]

Blasphemous 2 needs to, at the LEAST, be nominated for best musical score.

 

[laggyteabag]

Well looking at the reviews and general reactions, despite the very strong competition this year, im pretty sure Baldur's Gate 3 is most likely going to be cleaning up at this year's Game Awards (and other associated awards ceremonies).

With that being said, the only 2023 games that I have actually played this year are Hogwarts Legacy (which I have watched my girlfriend play through about 6 times so far, so I feel like I have completed the game myself), and the Dead Space remake.

Dead Space easily takes the cake on that one. I feel like Hogwarts Legacy has completely fallen by the wayside in just about every 2023 year in review discussion.

As for my favourite game that I have played this year, that might actually go to South Park: The Stick of Truth, which is frankly against all odds.

And as an honorable mention, I would like to nominate Florence, which whilst not perfect, was just so elegant in how it portrayed a characters emotions solely through game mechanics, and is probably the smartest game that I have played all year.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Oh, are we here? Reviving the GOTY the thread for the current year?

Man... what a year. I will have the worst posts but that won't stop me. This year I played a lot more new games than usual 'cause I been in a mood, but I don't love any of them. I'm pretty sure what will be my GOTY hasn't come out yet. But there are games that I was expecting to be strong contenders for it that I didn't like enough or completely lost interest in before they even came out so I didn't play. These include Starfield, FF16, Lies of P, Armored Core 6, and Street Fighter 6. I am not saying they are bad.. I just can only talk about, to quote Homer Simpson. M.E.: My Enjoyment.

 

[Chimpzy]

Ok. 2023 games I've played so far: Metroid Prime Remastered, Pikmin 4, System Shock and Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. So Nintendo fanboy /s

Metroid Prime would win because it's A) Metroid, and B) just as good now as it was 20 years ago. Buuuuut it's essentially the same game, just prettier. I'm not going to give the win to something I basically already played years ago.

Pikmin 4 I enjoyed well enough, but once I was done with the main campaign content I was kinda done with it.

System Shock is a great remake of the seminal classic, but, even with all the quality of life improvements this version brings, I can't but help be reminded of how much better the true imsims it inspired were.

Zelda ToTK I'm still playing, but I've played enough to call it, and the call is pretty dang fun. Especially considering I've not really liked any of the 3D Zeldas I've played so far. It'll probably eat up this entire month by the time I'm done with it.

So far Zelda is the frontrunner, but I've still got a couple other 2023 releases waiting on the bench. Ghost Trick, Baten Kaitos, Xenoblade 3 Future Redeemed, maybe Sea of Stars if that arrives and I get to it before year's end. Or maybe one of the dozen or so others that are still on my wishlist, assuming any of them get a nice enough discount to pull the trigger.

As for favorite game of the year? Haven't decided on anything yet. Need mull it over.

 

[BrawlMan]

I just can only talk about, to quote Homer Simpson. M.E.: My Enjoyment.

That statement applies to everybody.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

That statement applies to everybody.

Well... sure. But I think there is a tendency among some.. ok, I include myself- to try to be like "objective." To come up with some idea of what made the biggest best impact. And folks like us who follow the industry can try to put ourselves into those shows. It's why games media folks and outlets make these lists and there is an award show and then everybody yells at each other.

And if I start thinking that way I'm putting Balder's Gate 3 as GOTY. Damn, look what it did, it's the biggest freaking deal of the year really,, when talking about good games. But I personally haven't been able to bring myself to continue it so obviously it won't make any list of MY favorite games of the year.

 

[BrawlMan]

Well... sure. But I think there is a tendency among some.. ok, I include myself- to try to be like "objective." To come up with some idea of what made the biggest best impact. And folks like us who follow the industry can try to put ourselves into those shows. It's why games media folks and outlets make these lists and there is an award show and then everybody yells at each other.

Whenever people try to be "objective" with GOTY, it usually boils down to like the thing I like or give the award to this game or movie, and etc that is super popular, and that "everybody is enjoying it". Everybody's always going to have their own personal GOTY, and won't always match up to "popular opinion". I too would get upset at times for certain games weren't even nominated or were put in a separate category as a compensation, but I long stop caring about that around 2009 or 2010. Around that time, I didn't care who did what, I always made my own goty, and that's the rest of it.

 

[Kyrian007]

Yeah, still hard for me to make the decision. I've decided I like Starfield, but it isn't wowing me so far. I'm just enjoying it. BG3 is fun, and I like it too. I suppose it is "wowing" more than Starfield is... and I think in any other year that would be very much enough to get my GotY vote. I had also expected to be a ways into the Baten Kaitos remaster, but I'm holding out on that one until they patch back in the english voice over. So, I'll probably never buy it. And I'll probably finish the year playing a ton of Starfield and My Time at Sandrock. But basically, I don't really see any of them taking over Tears of the Kingdom, which owns my vote at the moment.

 

[Worgen]

Hmm, well, even though its early access. Supplice has to go on goty, its such a great Doom style game with great weapons and awesome levels and a much better story then it has any right to have.

System Shock also has to be up there for being a really great remake, even though it kinda drops the ball on the final boss fight and one puzzle involving a head that I never solved and just powered through.

'Ratchet and Clank a Rift Apart' also deserves a place, I know it came out on ps whatever a few years ago, but it only just released on pc and its the kinda big budget platformer you really don't see made by anyone besides Nintendo.

Oh, also have to give the Quake 2 Re-Release Remaster whatever a high place on the list too, its so damn good, they added so much content, the new graphics are really nice and its got a nice challenge, especially the n64 version, which is holy shit, actually hard on the hardest difficulty.

 

[CriticalGaming]

If I were to give accolades to games I've played this year from this year....

GOTY would have to go to Baldur's Gate 3 the game is insane with depth of scope and story-telling. The only hold back is the limitations of a hard coded DnD system prevent the player freedom real DnD provides, but that's to be expected from a video game.

Other games of noteworthy quality would be, hold on i have to check my notes....

Hogwarts Legacy - as someone who's too old to be a Harry Potter fan or really give a shit about the property, this game hit me with a wonderful child-like sense of wonder that I don't think I've ever gotten from a game since I was a kid. The gameplay isn't deep, the exploration is basic, but the world is magical and that's pretty fucking great.

Like a Dragon Ishin - Technically not a new game, but new to the West so I'm counting it. It's Yakuza but Medival, and it's just as great as any other Yakuza game. it's a bit confusing because it dabbles in a lot of Japanese history that most people I don't think will know, so you really only understand the surface level story and that's okay you can slice cannon balls with a sword.

RE4: REmake - Remember how good RE4 was? Well it's still almost as good.

Dead ISLAND 2 - I'm going to call this one my guilty pleasure game of the year, because it's really not a great game. But it's mindless zombie bashing fun and sometimes that's enough.

Armored Core 6 - I've never played an Armored Core game because I am not a fan of robots.....At least i wasn't a fan until now.

Mortal Kombat 1 - Finish Him!

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

BG3 will probably wind up winning GotY sheerly based on the goodwill it’s undeniably amassed among the gaming community, as also evidenced by the latest shitstorm debate over other devs not trying hard enough yada yada.


But, personally I’m going with MK1 because it’s the only new game I bought this year and cared about enough to carve out time for. It’s still crazy to think that it’s even out, seeing as not even half a year ago it was still a rumor.