General Gaming Ok, the dust is finally settling. What's your GOTY?

[best3444]

Just now, stepee said:

 

I would definitely check your mailbox every day to make sure someone doesn’t nab it 

 

We get the mail religiously everyday at the same time. It'll be here soon. 

[Biggie]

10 minutes ago, best3444 said:

 

I wonder when that will arrive?

[best3444]

Just now, Biggie said:

 

Perfect!

[skillzdadirecta]

4 hours ago, Dodger said:

Of what I played Lies of P. I need to dust off my Switch and try playing Zelda when I'm watching football or something. 

Lies of P is up there... amazing game from a new dev. One of the best Souls likes I've played even though I'm currently stuck on a boss fight atm.

[best3444]

39 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

Lies of P is up there... amazing game from a new dev. One of the best Souls likes I've played even though I'm currently stuck on a boss fight atm.

 

You are stuck? Yea, I have no chance in beating that game lol. I played a little and it played extremely similar to a From Software game. I definitely saw it's quality. 

[skillzdadirecta]

6 minutes ago, best3444 said:

 

You are stuck? Yea, I have no chance in beating that game lol. I played a little and it played extremely similar to a From Software game. I definitely saw it's quality. 

Yeah I'm stuck on a boss... I think i'm pretty far into the game. I got him close to dying a couple of times and I'm sure I'll get him next time I have time to sit down and play with no distractions but yeah, he's killed me at LEAST 40 times so far . It's funny because until this particular boss fight, I've found the game to definitely be one of the easier Souls-likes I've played. Challenging, but not frustrating. Aroudn the same difficulty level as Elden Ring, I'd say.

[Dodger]

1 hour ago, skillzdadirecta said:

Yeah I'm stuck on a boss... I think i'm pretty far into the game. I got him close to dying a couple of times and I'm sure I'll get him next time I have time to sit down and play with no distractions but yeah, he's killed me at LEAST 40 times so far . It's funny because until this particular boss fight, I've found the game to definitely be one of the easier Souls-likes I've played. Challenging, but not frustrating. Aroudn the same difficulty level as Elden Ring, I'd say.

Which boss?

[legend]

It's fucking Baldur's Gate 3. 

 

It's the most game that ever gamed. It's the game pitch that every nerd would talk about making but never could and would never have the budget to do. But Swen fucking did it. The mad man in armor did it.

 

The only possible criticism I could raise was it ends somewhat abruptly after everything is said and done. But they just released a giant patch with a massive epilogue (that I will be playing this weekend), so I guess that's not going to be a criticism after all.

 

Also, they added penis physics.

 

 

It's BG3.

 

 

TotK was excellent though, and SM2 has the most fun traversal out there.

[CastlevaniaNut18]

Tears of the Kindgom. Nothing else has come close. 

[Massdriver]

BG3

[Paperclyp]

I will say with some time to marinate with the idea, I am hesitant to call this the best year ever for games. I penalize it slightly due to the remakes being a pretty big factor in it, as great as they are. I think 1998 probably still has it beat. 

[best3444]

22 minutes ago, Paperclyp said:

I will say with some time to marinate with the idea, I am hesitant to call this the best year ever for games. I penalize it slightly due to the remakes being a pretty big factor in it, as great as they are. I think 1998 probably still has it beat. 

 

I obviously remember Ocarina of Time releasing then but what else? Turok 2?, A Final Fantasy?

[stepee]

2 minutes ago, best3444 said:

 

I obviously remember Ocarina of Time releasing then but what else? Turok 2?, A Final Fantasy?

 

RE2

Banjo

[Bacon]

My heart wants to give it to Lies of P. It is amazing how they actually managed to make a souls-like feel exactly like FROM made it. It is a masterpiece in that regard.

 

But man, BG3 is a next-gen experience. It has that feeling of going from the SNES to the N64, but for RPGs. It has raised the roof to what all other RPGs need to aspire to. This is the closest anyone has gotten to replicating BioWare's golden years. And that is with me coming to hate pretty much every DnD system in the game. And that is with Larian not realizing that the main character is the player, which BioWare fully understood.

[Paperclyp]

24 minutes ago, best3444 said:

 

I obviously remember Ocarina of Time releasing then but what else? Turok 2?, A Final Fantasy?

OOT

Metal Gear Solid 

Half Life

Star Craft 

Baldur's Gate 

Grim Fandango 

Unreal 

RE 2

Banjo Kazooie 

Tekken 3 

Xenogears 

Panzer Dragoon Saga 

NFL Blitz 

Gran Turismo 

Parasite Eve 

 

Fair or not, if you take out the remakes this year, I think 1998 has it beat overall. So many of those games were pillars and sort of still are of the entire industry. 

[Biggie]

For me it’s Starfield followed very closely by Tear of the Kingdom. 

[skillzdadirecta]

3 hours ago, Dodger said:

Which boss?

Green Swamp Monster I think it's called.

[crispy4000]

2 hours ago, Paperclyp said:

OOT

Metal Gear Solid 

Half Life

Star Craft 

Baldur's Gate 

Grim Fandango 

Unreal 

RE 2

Banjo Kazooie 

Tekken 3 

Xenogears 

Panzer Dragoon Saga 

NFL Blitz 

Gran Turismo 

Parasite Eve 

 

Fair or not, if you take out the remakes this year, I think 1998 has it beat overall. So many of those games were pillars and sort of still are of the entire industry. 

 

I think it's really hard to do an apples to apples comparison of 1998 to now.  Partly because 3D still felt new-ish then and those experiences could be so fresh.  Partly because there's a ton of incredibly well reviewed AA and indie projects this year that few have gotten around to, because the AAA space has been so stacked.

 

It also means the list this year could be patently absurd if all was considered.

[legend]

2 hours ago, Paperclyp said:

OOT

Metal Gear Solid 

Half Life

Star Craft 

Baldur's Gate 

Grim Fandango 

Unreal 

RE 2

Banjo Kazooie 

Tekken 3 

Xenogears 

Panzer Dragoon Saga 

NFL Blitz 

Gran Turismo 

Parasite Eve 

 

Fair or not, if you take out the remakes this year, I think 1998 has it beat overall. So many of those games were pillars and sort of still are of the entire industry. 

 

You missed the most important one: Myth 2: Soulblighter!

[Dodger]

1 hour ago, skillzdadirecta said:

Green Swamp Monster I think it's called.

Yeah he’s a dick especially his second form. You’re like,2/3 of the way done. Just wait for the final boss rush, it’s gonna suck. Especially if you fight the final final boss 

[skillzdadirecta]

29 minutes ago, Dodger said:

Yeah he’s a dick especially his second form. You’re like,2/3 of the way done. Just wait for the final boss rush, it’s gonna suck. Especially if you fight the final final boss 

Yeah I had him down to a smidgen of health on his second form a couple of times but he spazzes out and becomes REALLY hard to dodge. I'll get his ass soon though. Did you fight the secret boss on that stage not far from him? the guy that gives you the Owl mask?

 

[Dodger]

37 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

Yeah I had him down to a smidgen of health on his second form a couple of times but he spazzes out and becomes REALLY hard to dodge. I'll get his ass soon though. Did you fight the secret boss on that stage not far from him? the guy that gives you the Owl mask?

 

Yeah the only secret boss worth giving a shit about is Nameless Puppet which is a nightmare saved for later. The “one shot” pipe wrench build made everything in NG outside of Nameless Puppet my bitch 

[best3444]

10 hours ago, Paperclyp said:

OOT

Metal Gear Solid 

Half Life

Star Craft 

Baldur's Gate 

Grim Fandango 

Unreal 

RE 2

Banjo Kazooie 

Tekken 3 

Xenogears 

Panzer Dragoon Saga 

NFL Blitz 

Gran Turismo 

Parasite Eve 

 

Fair or not, if you take out the remakes this year, I think 1998 has it beat overall. So many of those games were pillars and sort of still are of the entire industry. 

 

That's quite the year. You make a fair point about remakes this year. It's difficult to compare that era though. 

[AbsolutSurgen]

2004

Half-Life 2

Halo 2

Everquest 2

World of Warcraft

Metroid Prime 2

Counter-Strike: Source

Metal Gear Solid 3

Spider-Man 2

R&C: Up Your Arsenal

Jak 3

NFS: Underground 2

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

 

Wait, that was JUST NOVEMBER.

It also had:

GTA: San Andreas

Ninja Gaiden

KOTOR 2

Far Cry

Chronicles of Riddik: Escape from Butcher Bay

Rome: Total War

Burnout 3

Katamari Damacy

 

[Paperclyp]

8 hours ago, crispy4000 said:

 

I think it's really hard to do an apples to apples comparison of 1998 to now.  Partly because 3D still felt new-ish then and those experiences could be so fresh.  Partly because there's a ton of incredibly well reviewed AA and indie projects this year that few have gotten around to, because the AAA space has been so stacked.

 

It also means the list this year could be patently absurd if all was considered.

 

49 minutes ago, best3444 said:

 

That's quite the year. You make a fair point about remakes this year. It's difficult to compare that era though. 

 

Yes I realize it's a very difficult and somewhat impossible exercise (not to mention extremely subjective), but when a year is named the best ever it invites some scrutiny that I'm always willing to look into because I find it fun. 

 

I think in a vacuum a year like 2023 would beat 1998 partially like crispy said just due to sheer volume of quality, but if you take into industry context and what the games meant not only at the time but going forward, I personally give 1998 the nod. I have no qualms with someone giving it to 2023 though. 

 

 

@AbsolutSurgen I prefer 2001 to 2004, but 04 was a good year for sure. 

[AbsolutSurgen]

20 minutes ago, Paperclyp said:

 

 

Yes I realize it's a very difficult and somewhat impossible exercise (not to mention extremely subjective), but when a year is named the best ever it invites some scrutiny that I'm always willing to look into because I find it fun. 

 

I think in a vacuum a year like 2023 would beat 1998 partially like crispy said just due to sheer volume of quality, but if you take into industry context and what the games meant not only at the time but going forward, I personally give 1998 the nod. I have no qualms with someone giving it to 2023 though. 

 

 

@AbsolutSurgen I prefer 2001 to 2004, but 04 was a good year for sure. 

2023 is certainly a great year, particularly compared to the last few years that were hit by a combination of console launches and Covid.  I'm not sure it holds up to some of the bigger years in the past (if you look at games through the lens of their eras).

 

2001 may have been a better year for console games, but IMHO the PC games released in '04 make it the better year overall.

[best3444]

2004 was incredible. My memory is absolutely awful now because of what I went through with my brother. I litteraly trained my mind to forget so I honestly completely forget my past let alone games.

Thanks guys for contributing such great responses to this thread. Maybe 2023 isn't the best after all!

[Keyser_Soze]

2011

 

Skyrim

Bastion

Dark Souls

Portal 2

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Rage

Batman: Arkham City

Minecraft

Marvel Vs Capcom 3

LA Noire

Skyward Sword

Okamiden

Mass Effect 2

Dead Space 2

Gears of War 3

Bulletstorm

Yakuza 4

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood

Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition @GameDadGrant

Limbo

Mortal Kombat 9

Terraria

The Witcher 2

Duke Nukem Forever

Shadows of the Damned

Ms. Splosion Man

Catherine

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron

Driver: San Francisco

Hard Reset

The Binding of Isaac

Forza Motorsport 4

Rocksmith

Kirby's Return to Dream Land

Dance Central 2

Uncharted 3

Rayman Origins

Saints Row: The Third

 

 

 

2011 GOAT

 

 

 

 

 

[crispy4000]

2 hours ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

2004

Half-Life 2

Halo 2

Everquest 2

World of Warcraft

Metroid Prime 2

Counter-Strike: Source

Metal Gear Solid 3

Spider-Man 2

R&C: Up Your Arsenal

Jak 3

NFS: Underground 2

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

 

Wait, that was JUST NOVEMBER.

It also had:

GTA: San Andreas

Ninja Gaiden

KOTOR 2

Far Cry

Chronicles of Riddik: Escape from Butcher Bay

Rome: Total War

Burnout 3

Katamari Damacy

 

Paper Mario TTYD, DQVIII, Pikmin 2, PoP Warrior Within, Sly 2, Onimusha 3, etc also came out that year.

 

[Remarkableriots]

I refuse to believe BG3 beats SM2 until someone can prove otherwise with a digital psn version! 

[stepee]

I’ve always been partial to 2007. It ushered in the next era of 3D gaming imo.

 

Bioshock

Mass Effect

Uncharted

Assassins Creed

Call of Duty 4

Halo 3

Mario Galaxy

Orange Box (Portal/Episode 2)

God of War 2

The Witcher

Crackdown

Metroid Prime 3

Rockband

Crysis 

Rachet and Clank Future

 

[nublood]

15 hours ago, Biggie said:

For me it’s Starfield followed very closely by Tear of the Kingdom. 

 

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

Sometimes I forget how long this year was. I’ve only had this PC for a year and I think I’ve played more different games this year than any year in the past 10. lol that being said I can’t possibly give Horizon Zero Dawn in PC my GOTY just because I didn’t play it until this year. 
 

overall a solid year though. I still haven’t played all the offerings available that one might consider a GOTY. 
 

I would say right now, my #1 is Remnant 2. They understood the assignment and pulled it off. A game that is much deeper than it might appear. Lots of secrets, lots of replay ability and the co-op has been some of the most fun and rewarding times my friends and I have had in a long time. 

[best3444]

Ok Spider-Man 2 got awesome today so I'm finally seeing its greatness. 

 

2007 and 2011 unbelievable years. I think 2007 has 2023 beat now that I look at it. 

[HardAct]

On 12/1/2023 at 1:21 PM, best3444 said:

Maybe I'm being unfair on Spider-Man 2. I'm really distracted by the deck and I'm not fully appreciating the game. @TwinIonsaid everything that needs to be said about it so I need to beat it. 

 

Fuck...bg3 is available to buy 

 

 

     I'VE BEEN SOOOOO!!!!! GOOOOOD!!!! about not buying BG3 and it's December already I think I'm going to just make my promise to myself on NO MORE GAMES THIS YEAR! SHIT...... I did buy FF16 a few weeks ago BUT! It was 29.99 @BB and I have a $10 rewards coupon that was expiring just a few days after I bought it! I don't think I have to say it here but I haven't opened it let alone played it....lol

 

     My GotY is Halls of Torment followed by Elden Ring buy obviously not released this year. That's how long it takes me to get to games. For context I still have Returnal, Ratchet & Clank, both Spiderman games {First $ Moralis} Dying Light 2, Demon Souls, Halo Infinite, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Zelda: TotK, Ghostwire Tokyo, Death Stranding, Horizon: FW, Deathloop, Mario Odyssey, Lego: Skywalker, FF7: RemakeDisco Elysium, Tiny Tina's Wonderland, Etc! I All pretty much bought close to releases except the PS5 games as I got one finally about a year after release so I bought those games on eBay for $20-45 bucks or so knowing I'd get one eventually. I take the time to type all those games out because they were bought pretty recently and it helps me to not buy NEW release games nearly as much. Keeping them fresh in my head I guess!? I have saved at least $1000 dollars on games with GamePass. It's just such a great deal IMHO. I STILL SPENT PLENTY though!

 

     REALLY like Halls of Torment. I have over 40 hours in that game playing on SD and RODAlly. Even more that Vampire Survivors. Being it's a better pretty much copy of VS and I put over 40 hours into that game also.