GOTY 2013 Speculation Thread

I almost don't want to listen because we all know Brad is holding the fucking cards with his fucking pre-election Obama bullshit. :P I feel like this year needs to be video, we need to see this shit in action.

I say they should forget all about Brad's craziness and still select Brothers as Game of the Year.

Guys it's going to be Assassins Creed Black Flag.

The Last of Us. By far the best game this year.

@siroptimusprime said:

Uuuuuuggggghhhh. Don't even joke about that. Could Gone Home really be considered a serious contender? I mean, Jeff liked it and Patrick loved it, what about the others?

I think it'd be a shame. I feel like Gone Home fooled a lot of people into thinking it was much more profound and clever than it actually was; it's the video game equivalent of high school poetry, replacing actual substance and profundity for naval-gazing, idealistic nonsense. Gone Home is obviously a game, and people who don't think it is are wrong: I just can't for the life of me think why people think it's such a good or important game. It's the only 2013 game that actually made me angry.

shiiiiiiiit, should not have read your spoiler tags, I'm currently playing the first of said games

Ashes Cricket 2013 is one game better than Brothers.

I think GTA V will win this year. It's a game they have all played and all seemed to like, especially Jeff, and that's fine by me. It is a really great game and the heists are fucking awesome, I just wish there was maybe 1 or 2 more of them in the game, but if one of my main complaints with a game is "I wish there was more of it" then it's doing something right.

But my personal favorite is The Last of Us. I have for some reason become obsessed with this game and have beaten it four times, four times(!), by now including survivor and survivor+. I have never beaten a game that many times in that short of an amount of time from it's release. And I have never beaten a game on it's hardest difficulty before.

I actually got to be quite fond of the gameplay, which I wasn't the biggest fan of in the first couples of hours of my first playthrough but it has grown on me in the same way that Joel and Ellie grew on me as I played more and more of the game.

I was going to start a thread asking what the Giantbomb GOTY 2013 will be as this is the first year when I genuinely have no idea. For the last few years it's always been between 2 clear games but this year there doesn't appear to have been a particular standout. I think GTAV or Bioshock Infinite might be the front-runners but Super 3D World could be there, possibly Last of Us if they all play it. There is even an outside chance Gone Home could win it (my personal choice so far).

It will be interesting to hear.

Antichamber. I really fucking hope that game doesn't get forgotten since it came out so early in the year. And I know Patrick won't forget The Swapper, but I hope enough of the other guys have played it as well because I think that game deserves to be in there.

2013's 1994 GOTY - Windjammers

I speculate that Brad will make a formal apology and belatedly relinquish the 2011 title to Saints Row: The Third. He'd better.

They need another emergency note from Dave to open in case of stalemate.

No way that Bioshock or GTA V will win. Jeff is the only one who who really likes both of those game enough to vote for GOTY. Still hoping for the outside chance that Brad and Jeff both finish TLOU, but we know how stubborn Jeff can be about not playing certain games.

GTA V -- Jeff liked it a lot, but he was on the fence when he reviewed it and wasn't sure about giving it 4 or 5 stars. He even said that it had a number of issues -- that is without taking GTA: Online into account. Brad didn't think it was that good, and Vinny only thought that it was fun. Patrick, I believe played it, but I don't know what he thought of it.

Bioshock Infinite -- Jeff loved it and barely complained about it, aside from the fact that he didn't think that the Skylines were especially useful. Vinny liked it a lot too. Brad, Patrick and Alex had issues with either the combat and/or the fact that the story didn't focus on racism.

The Last of Us -- All I remember is that Patrick loved it and Vinny said in last week's podcast that it had the best ending.

As for AC:IV -- They all seem to think it's fun, but, personally, I highly doubt they'll choose it as game of the year. I reckon if Jeff, Patrick or Brad reviewed it, it'll get a 4/5.

I have a feeling it'll be Gone Home. Everyone seems to like; Patrick gave it a perfect score in his review, and Jeff, Brad and Vinny seem to be very fond of it.

In a shocking turn of events, Tomb Raider is agreed upon by the staff to be the GOTY 2013.

I can dream, dammit.

Super Hot GOTY 2013.

I want to see a huge Brothers fight.

If any of them had gotten into GTA Online (and I'm kind of flummoxed as to why they haven't, I get they don't like GTA Races [which is crazy] but I haven't done a race in almost a month) I think it'd be the CLEAR game of the year pick. I mean this game had that locked up for me from the first screenshots. It has its disappointments, but it delivers on SO much (even if the online does seem designed for micro transactions, even with their exclusion following launch woes and post-cash infusion) there just isn't a game that defines this generation for me like GTA V does. It's part of the reason I'm holding off on a PS4, because I know I'll be selling my PS3 whenever I get one and that means the end of my time in Los Santos. That is a supremely depressing thought.

If I had to guess? Super Mario 3D World. Assuming everyone gets the chance to play it to completion, I think the pure gaminess of that game will out over whatever objections various crew members will have with Bioshock Infinite's gameplay (which I thought was excellent) or Last of Us' gameplay (which I thought was excellent) or GTA V's storytelling (which was fundamentally flawed but these games have always been about the performances of the voice e actors and the player, not the story they tell). I can't see them picking a 3DS title for game of the year so I'm not giving Zelda much thought, but Mario seems tailor made for a GotY from these guys in a year where all the other best games of the year had clear flaws. Mario's only flaw, from what I can tell as someone who's left the Nintendo experience behind since the Gamecube disappointments, is that it's only on a Nintendo console.

I don't think it will have a great chance, Patrick had to fight very hard just to keep Origins in the top 10 a few years back, he might have burned up a lot of Rayman goodwill doing that.

Based on what I've heard about the crew, the winner looks like it will be either Last of Us, Brothers or Super Mario 3D World. Right now those seem like the games that we haven't heard the crew say anything negative about each (Maybe aside from Jeff not liking Peach's cat float animation in the quick look).

...Or Windjammers will sneak in and win it.

I honestly think SuperMario 3D world will win, as it's the only game they'll all be able to agree on is pretty damn good.

The talks will be super interesting though, especially Brad fighting for Brothers and dota 2. I also really hope alex gets Rayman in on the list, that game deserves to be there!

@stingermk2: sorry bro. I tried to protect you! I really did!

What ever is this years Frog Fractions.

Might as well post this here

http://www.giantbomb.com/profile/joemotycki/lists/what-i-think-giant-bomb-s-2013-game-of-the-year-li/87245

LoZ: ALBW has less baggage and dislike towards it compared to Mario 3D World, and Jeff won't like Last of Us enough for it to win GOTY. Zelda will be the site game of the year.

I really hope the Last of US gets a proper chance. MAn this game is soo good it deserves GOTY.

It probably won't be Last of Us and people will freak out because of that. I can see Mario 3D Wörlds winning or possibly Bioshock or GTA (though they didn't seem that into GTA). Dota 2 also has basically no chance cause only Brad played it. So my money is on Bioshock Infinite or Mario. I hope to see Metro somewhere in their list, that game is really, really good.

Bioshock Infinite will win. I think it's the only game they've all played--and for the most part--enjoyed.

I wouldn't be surprised if they found common ground in respecting the polish and class of The Last of Us.

This year, unlike most years, it will probably be something I haven't played, because it didn't come out for PC. The only thing with a shot is Bioshock Infinite.

If I had MY choice, it would be Tomb Raider, Remember Me, DmC or something.

Cookie Clicker?

There's gonna be a tough discussion about Last of Us and Infinite. I'm guessing Brad goes for Last of Us, Jeff for Infinite.

I hope it's AC4 because that is a video game-ass video game and if someone (for example Brad) brings up technical issues as an objection then that could be easily countered with 2011's GOTY (Skyrim.)

Did Brad even play through last of Us?

Last I heard not yet. Only Patrick, Vinny and Drew have. (maybe Alex as well.)

I just hope Ni No Kuni gets a nod. It's my personal GOTY. Also I hope to god GTA V doesn't win GOTY.

I'm unashamedly a Last of Us obsessive so I've been somewhat disappointed with its frequent dismissals on the show. It was actually great to hear it discussed at length this week, and that Brad turned the corner on it. From talking to friends, and even based on my own replays (platinum'd this week, :') ) I 100% get the criticism that the early hours are a bit of a drag. The prologue is so tremendous but the scene-setting and tutorials that follow it are surprisingly dull given the calibre of the other 80% of the game. If Brad has done an about face already, I think he'll be pulling for TLoU as game of the year by the ending. It really is a game that builds excellently to a climax.

I don't want to be all 'you don't like my favourite game because you're not giving it a chance' but I'll be pretty bummed if Jeff doesn't finish it.

All the guys seemed to be in the same boat as me when it comes to GTA; no denying it's a great game but... it's so flawed and in some regards, outright disappointing, I just don't see it winning.

Tomb Raider was great, but like GTA I just don't see anyone rallying for that because they find it to be so deserving.

BioShock Infinite has a strong chance, in my opinion. Gorgeous game, interesting story, solid mechanics - unless I'm mistaken, I don't recall anyone on the team having a major gripe with it. It's interesting because most sites seemed to retract support for that the moment Last of Us and GTA hit - I don't know too many other sites that would have Infinite in serious contention after that, but I think it's a deserving contender.

I could see everyone except Jeff pushing The Last of Us but the entire crew at least agreeing BioShock is a solid pick.

Nothing really stuck out this year the same way Skyrim/Saints Row 2 did in 2011, or X-COM did in 2012. That makes things super interesting.

I don't think GTAV has a prayer. Anyone who was hot on that game soured on it after the online and some members of the staff were never hot on it. I think it'll be lucky to get #10.

I think Bioshock has a shot but then some folk have soured on it since its release even going so far as to say it is not better than Brothers. I think there will be arguments made and it might end up landing at 2 if not 1. Like how last year some people felt strongly that Walking Dead should be 2nd, not first.

I think Last of Us would be a major league contender if enough of the staff had finished it. I think enough of the staff petered out on it that this is difficult.

Other than those 2 I dunno what the best choice for #1 is. My #3 is Heart of the Swarm but I don't see it as GOTY material this year. DOTA 2 will be high, but it won't win. Rogue Legacy maybe? Zelda detestably? Divekick was hell of rad. Saints Row 4 could get in high but I don't think it really fits as GOTY. We'll see soon, really hoping it's just Bioshock Infinite since everyone can agree that was a huge deal critically.

Zelda fits that mold. And yeah Brad being on board with Last of Us is really going to help it. That angers me because it doesn't deserve to win. >_>

Can't be Mario because Jeff and Vinny don't seem so high on it. Vinny is basically "I know it's good, but I don't really want to play it" and Jeff seems sort of in the same boat. Jeff is the stone wall preventing Last of Us from winning, but if he's teamed up on by Patrick, Alex, Brad and Vinny he'll probably lose that battle. I feel like Zelda fits the X-Com mold of last year. It may not be the best each of them individually, but none of them have had any complaints really and all seem to enjoy it.

I'm actually curious what 2012 2013's game of the year is. Fuck it just give it to Dark Souls anyways.

Just finished The Last Of Us. THAT IS THE GAME OF THE YEAR AND I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY....Jeff

I don't know... Bomb crew hasn't been too big of the games I really thought were the best of the year. (My GOTY is GTAV) I don't see the guys putting that high on the list sadly. Maybe because of the hype or their love for smaller games, they always find a way to bring me down about GTA.

Oh well. To each their own. I've come to accept that not everyone will value the same games as I do.

Brothers: A Tale of Two sons is my second pick by the way. Really loved that game.

It saddens me Saint's Row 4 is unlikely to enter the conversation. Not because it deserves it, but having Jeff on one side battling for SR4, and Brad on the other side battling for DOTA2 would've been just too good.

So uhh how come Brad went from full excitement for finishing Last of Us a week ago to not even mentioning it at all this week? Maybe just an oversight or maybe he got it all out during the deliberations.

There used to be a strong passion for certain games in past years, to the point of making entire spoilercasts about them. This seems to be a thing of the past now and GOTY is more focused on people inserting X game at the expense of Y and not really arguing as to why GTA 4 did what it did better than MGS4, or why Skyrim's infinite content makes it better than Saint's Row refined set-pieces.

It's getting harder and harder to see clear contenders when it comes to this stuff, especially this year. If it's anything like last year GOTY will be the game the most of them liked, and that happens to be The Last of Us. (Vinny, Drew, Brad, Alex, Patrick).

From what Jeff said on the emails podcast this week about "if he bought every game on the top ten list, he'd be disappointed," I'd expect a lot of games that Jeff isn't too keen on making that list.

Problem with this tinfoil hat theory is that I don't really know what those games would be except for Last of Us and maybe Mario?

Bioshock will win simply because it will be the only game that everyone finished.

What about that Snoop Dogg game?

I want Jeff to make fart sounds anytime somebody else tries to push for The Last of Us. That's all playing that game evoked from me before I decided to better spend my time elsewhere.

there is a chance that zelda wins witch would be fair considering that game is great ( Brad think it is amaizing, Drew likes it, Vinny does too, Patrick for sure, Jeffi don't know what his opinion is on the game)

Siants Row 4 or AC4 could be a socker

Too bad Giant Bomb does not have a JRPG dude with time to play Ni No Kumi or Fire Emplem form start to finish

Yea. Brad played it and said in a recent Bombcast that there was no way he would not finish it.

I'd rather not speculate, it's more entertaining to listen to what they think on the spot.