Poll: Help finalize the list of contenders for the Second Annual Reader's Choice Game of the Year

[Prelude2disaster]

Dark Souls 2 is one of the highest rated and most played games of the year. It has a higher Metacritic rating than any other game released this year (a 91 across all three platforms) and even your little site gave it a 4.5 / 5.0. Why oh why oh why would this not be included in the list? Am I missing something?

This is the voting for other games to be added to the list. The actual voting will occur later.

EDIT: Just saw someone already replied to you -_-

 

[DataSnake]

(No, I'm not really a fan of gritty, realistic games. Saints Row 4 4-eva!!)

So, think Gat Out of Hell will be in the running next year?

 

[delroland]

Depression Quest

This game should be on the list not only for the controversy it has brewed up, but also as a representative of "games as art".

 

[Ten Foot Bunny]

(No, I'm not really a fan of gritty, realistic games. Saints Row 4 4-eva!!)

So, think Gat Out of Hell will be in the running next year?

Considering it's going to star Johnny Gat and Kinzie Kensington - my two favorite characters in the franchise - your prediction is more like a foregone conclusion.

 

[Eric the Orange]

Keep in mind that actual voting isn't going to finish until December though. It was going to be a little odd either way we ran it by including currently unreleased titles or by excluding them for happening to fall into a specific time period.

And while we certainly haven't played them to completion, plenty of these unreleased titles we've put enough time into to at least come to some baseline speculations on what games folks will want to vote over.

It does bring up the question of why not start it after the new year though.

 

[DataSnake]

Depression Quest

This game should be on the list not only for the controversy it has brewed up, but also as a representative of "games as art".

It was released in 2013, so it's not eligible.

 

[Phrozenflame500]

Wow, this has been a really meh year, the majority of the games all would come with "buts" with my nomination.

Voted for Shovel Knight in the poll, probably Bayo 2 overall.

 

[ailurus]

Yeah, I need to join the people asking how games that aren't out yet are contending for game of the year. I know GotY lists are fairly pointless to begin with, but seriously. Trailers, hype and a marketing budget are all you need to contend for if not win GAME of the year now? Game itself is no longer required?

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I voted Shovel Knight and would argue that voting for Game of the Year right now, before all of this years games have launched, it kind of a flawed premise...For all we know Captain Toad will be a sleeper-hit and it's coming out in the first week of December. Then there's the upcoming Far Cry 4 which could be a turd waiting to be stepped on. The only other 2014 game that I remember playing was Kirby's Triple Deluxe which was better than Epic Yarn. Damn, I wish I could have afforded to play more 2014 games...like Hyrule Warriors.

 

[RedDeadFred]

Destiny?! Why? That game is the embodiment of almost everything that is wrong with the industry right now. I guess it has strong mechanics but I couldn't vote for it just on principle.

Anyway, I voted for The Wolf Among Us. I haven't actually finished it yet (one chapter to go), but so far, it has been excellent. I especially love the soundtrack.

 

[VanQ]

There are unreleased games on the list because Escapist asked Pub Club members what games they should add and some responses were for unreleased games.

Baffling but true.

 

[LG Jargon]

Had a tough time deciding between Stick of Truth and Borderlands, but I had to pick the one I loved so much that I played every class to completion.

So Stick of Truth won.

(No, I'm not really a fan of gritty, realistic games. Saints Row 4 4-eva!!)

....Th...That was a joke...right? Like...did you just seriously draw a line connecting Borderlands with 'gritty realism'? The silly-as-fuck shooting game with a shotgun that shouts like the Australian equivalent of deep South, redneck white trash?

OT: My vote's for Transistor, though truth be told, I haven't played many games on this list. Bravely Default is fun, but I regretfully have only played up to the third or fourth major boss fight; I stopped after I completely rebuilt the town...I really should pick that up again.

Also, it feels like a tragedy that Stick of Truth is winning over Walking Dead: Season 2. Like the Republicans winning the midterms twice in a week. -.- At least The Wolf Among Us is ahead; it seems like it definitely deserves the one spot.

 

[deathbydeath]

1. inFamous Second Son
2. Banner Saga

But I digress, anything added to this poll after it has been initiated won't get a fair shake.

Sad but true. The mechanics of LUFTRAUSERS were so refined and pure it surpassed some of the greats like FEAR 1 and Hotline Miami.

Glad to see One Finger Death Punch on the list, though! I haven't gotten around to playing it, but chances are that's where my vote will go. It's nice to see high-quality B-grade games on the list.

 

[TheRiddler]

Depression Quest

This game should be on the list not only for the controversy it has brewed up, but also as a representative of "games as art".

I mean, I might be inclined to agree, but it came out in 2013. Plus, the game itself didn't make [i/]too[/i] much of an impact in the gaming world, personal life of the creator aside.

OT: Voted for The Wolf Among Us. Would have voted for Valiant Hearts if I thought it had a chance. (Also, have you guys considered a ranked ballot? Seems like a better option.)

 

[go-10]

1. Shovel Knight
2. Transistor

 

[chocolate pickles]

Gonna be honest: nothing really blew me away this year. It's been a pretty piss poor year... Eh, I guess walking dead?

 

[Sarah Kerrigan]

Trasistor. It's beautiful, emotional, the good balance between difficult and challenging...love it.

 

[xSerix]

Was tales of xilia 2 good?

 

[Kahani]

Keep in mind that actual voting isn't going to finish until December though. It was going to be a little odd either way we ran it by including currently unreleased titles or by excluding them for happening to fall into a specific time period.

It's only odd because you're asking people to vote on the best games of the year before the year is actually finished. The far more sensible option would be to simply wait until January. But that wouldn't line up with the advertising season, so of course there's no place for common sense or logic here.

In any case, I voted for Divinity. Because I liked it.