GOTY 2013 Speculation Thread

It's almost that time of the year! Time to speculate! What games do you think will make the GOTY top ten? Just listened to the latest podcast (11/19/13) and it sounds like they're already thinking about it. My guesses:

• Zelda: Link btwn 2 Worlds
• Mario 3D World
• Last of Us
• Brothers (of course)
• Killer Instinct (maybe? probably not...)
• Bioshock Infinite
• Gunpoint
• DOTA 2
• GTA 5
• Tearaway (maybe... wildcard)

What do you guys think? What will win the coveted #1 spot? Personally, I have no idea what will win. It'd be crazy if Nintendo got the spot...

This year like the last 2 before that will be BORING! Third time in a row I won't be listening to the GotY bombcast. lol

I'd love to see Patrick put up a fight for Fire Emblem: Awakening, as that was a fantastic and solid RTS romp.

My prediction (and even though I haven't played it): Mario 3D World.

The guys will probably dust their WiiU's off for this game and it'll resonate with them, not least because it's been such a dark and heavy year for them and this game seems to be whimsical fun in perfection.

And there is really no consensus among the crew as far as any other game is concerned.

Fire Emblem: Awakening is honestly the game I think deserves it most. The new Zelda is set in the same world as Link to the Past, which kind of bums me out. Unfortunately, I think it will either be Bioshock Infinite or The Last of Us. I say "unfortunately" because in my opinion, both of those games are overrated for what they are. The multiple timelines/universes story twist is handled better in 999 and Virtue's Last Reward, and the core gameplay isn't very exciting. The Last of Us, while it has a great story, suffers from plenty of gameplay and graphical issues which detracted from my personal enjoyment of that game. I'd really like to see a surprise victor, but I really don't think that will happen. I guess we'll see in like 3 weeks though.

From what they like, I really don't have a good guess. Going to be pretty crazy this year. I feel like they all have different opinions.

The best guess might really be AC Black Flag, just from the brief impressions so far. Interested to see how that goes as they keep playing it.

bioshock, metal gear, brothers, zelda, ac4

OH yeah I never played that game because it's on a 3DS but I really wanted to. Man... if the WiiU had a "3DS Virtual Console" then I would actually buy one. The 3DS is great but I can't justify buying a portable when I prefer to play from the comfort of my couch on my television.

Right there with you man. Huge SRPG fan and I want to play that game so bad but not willing to buy a portable console I wouldn't play portably, or play pretty much any other games on, to do so. There are black friday sales coming up (3DS XL for 150, 2DS for 100 I heard) but still too much.

GTA V and Bioshock Infinite have some chances because they're the only games i can think of that everyone on crew at least liked even if none of them loved them to the same extent they did with some past GOTY. They would be the easy "everyone sorta agree" choices.

We'll see after we hear more from Super Mario 3D World and Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.

The Last of Us has no chance because both Vinny and Drew basically said they liked the story stuff and were getting tired of the gameplay by the end, Jeff and Brad haven't played it and probably never will. certainly not Jeff anyway.

Unless they all fall in love with either Mario or Zelda it will be another pretty boring year with no passion talking about this stuff. Even XCOM last year felt like "well here's a good game we all like so let's pick that i guess".

did they like Brothers? i trailed off the bombcasts there for a while

it's probably my game of the year, even though the competition has been fierce, and it'd be great to see it make the top ten

GTA 5

With the absence of Ryan, I believe this year discussion will be quite Jeff-centric, and I don't think there was any other release this year that Jeff liked more.

A few podcasts ago, when Brad first played Brothers, he made the bold decree that it would be GOTY and that the industry would not produce a game better than Brothers by year's end. Ever since, it's been a thing on the podcast.

He didn't say that exactly, he just said that it was a lock for top 10. He said "there will not be 10 games better this year".

That's why they were making fun of him saying it was the 11th best game at the end of the podcast.

One thing I miss about Ryan was that he was always very diplomatic--sometimes to a fault in that I don't think he expressed any strong negative opinions on anything (game related). That said, he was a very good mediator for the GOTY podcasts and I'll miss his presence.

Nothing jumps out as being immediately obvious. In the previous years there were games that they talked about for weeks that stood out as front runners. That hasn't really happened this year. I suspect their will be a lot more discussion this year as opposed to the rather brief and civil solidifying of their top 10 last year

I'm hoping Sleeping Dogs gets 2013's 2012 GOTY.

Unless The Last of Us someone comes from behind and wins over Jeff and Brad (unlikely) then I get the feeling that it will probably be Mario 3d World or A Link Between Words. Both of those seem like great games that the crew could get behind.

Some good games here.

• Luigis Mansion: Dark Moon
• Rogue Legacy
• Injustice: Gods Among Us
• Gunpoint
• Papers Please
• Rayman Legends

And 2013's best Flash Game

• Divekick

I'd also throw in Rayman and Gone Home into the list of contenders for GB Crew GOTYs. I'd like to think Brad might remember a new Starcraft 2 Installment came out this year but... I have a feeling Dota will completely overshadow it in his mind. Outside chance of DmC coming into consideration. Its been so long since DmC though it seems likely to get completely forgotten.

I bet Bioshock and Gone Home make it on there, they all liked those. Probably Brother's as well depending on whether they get Alex and Patrick on or not. They should get Alex and Patrick on.

I think the game of the year discussions will be a little more open-ended this time since there isn't the clear 2-3 games like there is most years. In 2008 it was MGS4 vs. GTA IV, 2009 was Batman vs. Uncharted 2, in 2010 it was Mass Effect 2 vs. Red Dead, in 2011 it was Skyrim vs. Saints Row, and 2012 it was XCOM vs. The Walking Dead.

It seems like Jeff's favourite game is GTA V, Vinny's is Assassin's Creed IV, Alex's is Rayman: Legends, and Patrick's is either The Last of Us or Super Mario 3D World. I have no clue what Brad thinks is the best, and Drew... no idea. There isn't any obvious choices this time.

I think it's because this year has kinda sucked for games.

Whatever it is, it needs to be a damn bloodbath. Last year was all sensitive and "I appreciate your opinion" mixed with "I'm only going to half-criticize because I don't want to hurt ___'s feelings" talk. I want jugular ripping action! I want knife fights to break out!

Well not really, but last years deliberations were pretty boring in comparison to the knuckle-dragging brawls that erupted from 2008-2011.

Something very, very important will be missing from the GOTY deliberations and videos this year. Maybe the guys should just release their lists and take a year off from zanyness :(

The more I think about this, the more I think AC IV: Black Flag is going to win. The broadest appeal amongst the group. The question is if Jeff will like it.

I don't think anyone felt serious enough about any of the games to argue that way. I don't see this year being any different. Last two years have been solid but not really the outstanding games of previous years.

@artisanbreads: You're probably right, but I'm still holding out hope that someone will have a ridiculous pick for GOTY that prompts some kind of cutthroat discussion. I'm betting on that game being Bioshock Infinite, personally. I remember Jeff having a pretty strong reaction to it; it was after all one of the handful of games to warrant Jeff's "serious voice" during the Bombcast.

Last of Us/ Bioshock Infinite/ GTA V

You might be right. As far as Bioshock Infinite goes, I know Patrick seemed to say he didn't really like it now so maybe that'd happen.

Personally like I said I am making an AC Black Flag prediction and if Jeff doesn't end up liking it, I could see it being a "Jeff arguing for game X" against it scenario.

Another theory though: maybe Patrick will be the guy against everyone else. I expect he's going to say one of the Nintendo games and I don't know how much the other guys will agree with him. Interested to see about that.

AC IV is a guarantee, could potentially win because while half the gameplay (well, really like 1/3rd) is mediocre the other half is excellent and every other top contender has contentious gameplay to say the least. Story in ACIV is great too; maybe not as great as the Last of Us or GTA V but easily better than Bioshock Infinite.

So, something like this: Assassin's Creed IV, The Last of Us, GTA V, Bioshock, Nintendo game, Nintendo game, Injustice, Tomb Raider/Saint's Row IV, Gunpoint, Rogue Legacy.

Depending on the level of hate for it wouldn't be surprised if either GTA V or Bioshock fell down to 5 or 6 behind Nintendo game and Nintendo game.

I would say that GTA V, The Last of Us and Bioshock Infinite are 3 almost definites and are probably the 3 that will be up for overall GOTY. Sounds like a Link Between Two Worlds and Mario 3D World are likely to make the list.

I think The Swapper, Papers Please, Gone Home, Brothers, Gunpoint and Device 6/Year Walk will be fighting for indie spots, one or more of the guys have had strong reactions to all of those

Brad will be fighting pretty strongly for both DMC and Dota 2 of course

If Alex is on the GOTY podcast he will fight for Rayman Legends, but I'm not sure if it will get there

I hope Patrick argues for either Metro Last Light and/or Fire Emblem, but I think neither will probably make it.

AC IV, Saints Row IV, Rogue Legacy, Animal Crossing and Divekick are all edge cases at the moment, but will probably make some individual lists.

I think Saints Row IV is going to be on that list somewhere. Brad will make sure GTA V does not win. I don't think Brothers or Gone Home will make the list. Maybe Last of Us makes top 5. Maybe Dota 2 makes the list. Rogue Legacy and Gunpoint will make it in. And I agree with all of you saying AC4 might be the game they all can agree on.

Wait, they made a Fire Emblem RTS? How did no one tell me about this...

I know people have fun but I have always seen this as a futile excirse. At best asking someone to "Pick 10 games from 2013 that people must play" is fine but asking them to compare them is always crazy.

It wont be the last of us because Jeff and Brad are unwilling to give it a chance.

Last Of Us has zero chance due to timing/association with Ryan's death.

Zelda seems like a good dark horse bet at this moment in time.

Yeah I think it was a year of compromise because there wasn't anything anyone wanted to go nuts arguing for. It's kind of crazy because I think last year was STACKED compared to this year, but at the same time i did feel like even my personal top 5 for 2012 was pretty interchangeable.

In past years Jeff has been able to bully a game into the top 3 simply because he wants to, so this year I see their #1 being whatever he wants it to be. I would bet on GTA5.

Top 10 games better than Brothers:

1. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
2. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
3. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
4. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
5. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
6. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
7. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
8. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
9. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
10. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

Unless I am not remembering this correctly didn't most of the crew enjoy the Stanley Parable it may be in there somewhere.

I think The Stanley Parable will win the number 8 spot.

The Brothers discussion's gonna be interesting. Jeff seems to not like it at all, and other than Brad, I'm not getting the impression that the other guys think of it as definite top 10 material.

Personally, Brothers is gonna be on my top 10 worst games of the year.

There's no way they'll pick a Nintendo exclusive. Mario and Zelda might be good fun but neither has enough to it to be GOTY. I might be wrong but I think Bioshock will take it from GTA:V. Mario or Zelda may take places in the top 5. Brothers in an honorary 11th place just for the look on Brad's face!

They seemed to have a lot of good things to say about Zelda and it is a really amazing game. I think they'll at least have a lot of discussion about it and honestly, I don't think there's been anything else this year that comes close to being as good.

I think that Bioshock Infinite has to considered the favourite, the entire crew dug the hell out of that game. They even had a special stream so they could talk about the ending on camera!

I feel like Dead Rising 3 might just have a chance of edging into the 9 or 10 spot.

I think Bioshock might beat out GTAV since all of the guys had more uniformly positive feelings for it, even though I thought their criticisms of GTAV were unwarranted. I wonder if the poor reception for burial at sea/ GTA Online will hurt each games chances any...

Any list without Rayman Legends on it is a list bereft of love.

I say they should go all in on Brad's craziness and select Brothers as Game of the Year.

I'm going to spoiler-tag my answer as I know that I'm right.

It's DmC.

I want it to be Gone Home so I get to enjoy the wonderful "discussion" concerning the game-hood of games.

But really, I have no idea. I don't think anyone has stayed warm on Infinite, GTAV was very hit/miss for the crew from what I remember, and then there's Dota.