There are about a thousand threads about GotY, so I thought I'd add a little something to them.
When people say the phrase, "Game of the Year" I often don't know what to think. Does that mean the most "influential" or "groundbreaking" or "innovative" game of the year? Or is it that game that you'll always come back to, for years to come?
How do you define Game of the Year? And how do you think it should be defined? Thoughts and comments appreciated!
"I think it just means best game of an entire year. It's rather straightforward really. "
So BEST is your description then? I only posed this because in the many different GotY things I've read over the years, they've often posted they chose it cause it was the most innovative/fun/graphical/etc...
And then there's the whole discussion of how games that get scores that are lower than other game's scores in the year get GOTY. But whatever.
I think when someone says "Game of the Year" they're talking about the best overall game. The most innovative, and the one that best represents what their respective year was about. However, when someone says "My Game of the Year" they're talking about their personal favorite that came out that year.
I have no idea. I think it's just what the mainstream likes or something stoopid like that.
Last year, for me, it was a toss-up between Persona 4 and Disgaea 3. I bought both of these games on day 1 and played them non-stopped for weeks. These 2 games were seriously the best games I played last year, but weren't even close to being on anyone's radar for some reason.
Game of the Year is a pointless title that only serves to allow developers to slap it onto the box of their game, thus increasing sales by appealing to the unkowning masses. Choosing one game to be the best is very stupid, and is heavily opinion based. Modern Warfare 2? What if I don't like military shooters? Uh oh, problem. Uncharted 2? What if I don't like treasure hunting derivatives? Guess what, another problem. Something subjective like that should not be taken seriously, and should always be followed by "IMO." A game can be really awesome but appeal to a smaller audience, while another game can be of less quality but appeal to a mainstream audience. Is it better than the former? These are the questions that need to be asked. Also, we shouldn't be looking at GOTY, but how games this year measured up to the gems of the years gone by. These are the questions that have substance.
It's just a really mainstream saying, so that people who don't play games often and who don't get the chance to play games often know which games to play, if they were to play. Notice how there is never a unanimous GOTY... there are always many different GOTY's per year and I guess now it's become more of a marketing tool, as "Multiple GOTYs" is kind of an oxymoron.
Usually when I say GOTY I'm referring to my favorite title, not an opinion regarding it's achievements compared to other titles artistically and influentially, etc.
" I think it just means best game of an entire year. It's rather straightforward really. "
Listen to JeffGoldblum. He often plays an intelligent person in his movies. He is very credible.
Really, I think it's pretty straightforward too. The overall best game. The most impressive, and highest quality game to be released in that year. It doesn't have to be the most groundbreaking or innovative, but some innovation usually helps. Games of this quality will often times spawn a whole lot of imitators. I don't want to say it is the most innovative, because lots of times innovation can end up being poorly executed. Look at Scribblenauts, for instance. It may be the most innovative game of the year, but what does it do for the industry? Nothing, because it's a pretty lousy game, despite it's ambitious concept. Essentially, Game of the Year is the one game that year that you absolutely don't want to miss.
This year, I think most places will name Uncharted 2 as GOTY 2009. Modern Warfare 2 will probably take that crown from a couple places, but really the game doesn't make any great strides, it's just more of the same. While that's awesome and all, and MW2 is an incredible game, I think people expect a little more when choosing the best game of the entire year. With that said, I haven't played Uncharted 2 because I don't own a PS3, but that's just based on the stuff I've read about the game.
GOTY means that it is the overall BEST game of the year as based on the opinion of the person that names it Game of the Year. That's pretty simple. It might be new and innovative or just an extremely polished collection of old ideas. As long as you think it's the best game that came out that year, it is your Game of the Year.
" The definition of game of the year is Modern Warfare 2 this year, the meaning changes every year, you see. "
Dragon age wants to have a talk with you. Sales dont = GOTY, amazing gameplay does. "
That's your opinion, and also, most websites GOTY will be MW2, just you wait. "
Thats because you're too cheap to pay for another game. "
I haven't even played it, lately I've had to observe console games, because my 360 broke halfway through the year, plus, look at all the amazing scores it's gotten on so many different websites!
GOTY/Game of the Year has just become a marketing term to me (and therefore means very little). Essentially sticking GOTY on the box tells me there is some extra content in this package.
For me its just my favorite game of that year. Right now it would be Infamous, Batman AA, or Uncharted 2. Dragon Age might be thrown in there as well but im only about 15 hours into it so idk yet.
" The definition of game of the year is Modern Warfare 2 this year, the meaning changes every year, you see. "
Dragon age wants to have a talk with you. Sales dont = GOTY, amazing gameplay does. "
That's your opinion, and also, most websites GOTY will be MW2, just you wait. "
Thats because you're too cheap to pay for another game. "
I haven't even played it, lately I've had to observe console games, because my 360 broke halfway through the year, plus, look at all the amazing scores it's gotten on so many different websites! "
So did Assassin's Creed 2, Batman Arkham Asylum, Forza Motorsport 3, Street Fighter 4, Fifa Soccer 10, Uncharted 2, Killzone 2? In fact Uncharted 2 did the best overall.
I nominate Sexy Poker for game of the year. With near lewd women and big anime cards and gambling, how can you lose... but your clothing.
" The definition of game of the year is Modern Warfare 2 this year, the meaning changes every year, you see. "
Dragon age wants to have a talk with you. Sales dont = GOTY, amazing gameplay does. "
That's your opinion, and also, most websites GOTY will be MW2, just you wait. "
Thats because you're too cheap to pay for another game. "
I haven't even played it, lately I've had to observe console games, because my 360 broke halfway through the year, plus, look at all the amazing scores it's gotten on so many different websites! "
So did Assassin's Creed 2, Batman Arkham Asylum, Forza Motorsport 3, Street Fighter 4, Fifa Soccer 10, Uncharted 2, Killzone 2? In fact Uncharted 2 did the best overall. I nominate Sexy Poker for game of the year. With near lewd women and big anime cards and gambling, how can you lose... but your clothing. "
OH SHIT, I forgot about Uncharted 2!!! That will win for sure.
" The definition of game of the year is Modern Warfare 2 this year, the meaning changes every year, you see. "
Dragon age wants to have a talk with you. Sales dont = GOTY, amazing gameplay does. "
That's your opinion, and also, most websites GOTY will be MW2, just you wait. "
Thats because you're too cheap to pay for another game. "
I haven't even played it, lately I've had to observe console games, because my 360 broke halfway through the year, plus, look at all the amazing scores it's gotten on so many different websites! "
So did Assassin's Creed 2, Batman Arkham Asylum, Forza Motorsport 3, Street Fighter 4, Fifa Soccer 10, Uncharted 2, Killzone 2? In fact Uncharted 2 did the best overall. I nominate Sexy Poker for game of the year. With near lewd women and big anime cards and gambling, how can you lose... but your clothing. "
OH SHIT, I forgot about Uncharted 2!!! That will win for sure. "
For me, a GOTY has to be something that's so excellent it's on a completely different level from the competition. It does not necessarily need to be revolutionary or innovative, but these things do help its chances. It also does not need to be long, but certainly any game which holds your interest for 30+ hours continuously is in the running. THE big factor for me though is the withdrawal test - basically, if i'm out at work, I want to get the hell out of there asap and rush home to play it. And I will then sit and play it when I get home until about 4am, sometimes later. A GOTY has to actually lower my next days productivity if i'm honest, and even be damaging to my health in cases, like digital crack. It basically has to make me feel like gaming just got reborn in a baptism of fun and addiction.
All this said: Demon's Souls is that game. It's my favourite contender and I don't see much else topping it. Others are Uncharted 2 and Modern Warfare 2 (it's losing me sleep getting my kill:death up so that's something).
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