GotG Quarterfinals: Dark Souls vs. Red Dead Demption

[mod edit: yes, I accidentally spelled it "Demption" in the thread title.]

Dark Souls.

Hearing myself say this is fucking nuts too given how little i cared (and how little i still care) about Demon's Souls at the time and how much i love Rockstar's open world games. Dark Souls is just that good.

Red Dead Redemption, because apparently, I hate Dark Souls.

Oh Jeez.

Realfights started last round, but I'm genuinely interested in how this will turn out. For me it's Dark Souls by virtue of my not liking Red Dead's controls.

Ooooh, Quaterfinals!

NOW we're getting into the hard stuff.

As much as it pains me, I have to vote Red Dead. I love, LOVE Dark Souls, but I love Red Dead more.

That said, unlike some other ones here, I won't be angry if Dark Souls wins.

Dark Souls. It's not even an option.

They are both great. I don't feel strongly one way or the other on wanting one to win, but I voted Red Dead.

I probably had more fun with Dark Souls but Red Dead was the better game.

Dark Souuuuuuuuls.

RDR plz. Red Dead was fun for me, Dark Souls was not so that's where I'm making my decision.

Yep, Dark souls.

Dark Souls for me, Red Dead is good but like most Rockstar games i got bored around the middle and didnt care about what was really going on in Mexico. I also liked to explore in Dark Souls more than Red Dead.

I remember trolling you about Dark Souls being your sacred cow. Why didn't you tell me you hadn't even played it!? I even posted Metacritic scores comparing it to Fez!!

Dark souls don't give no fuck out how popular or influential its opposition is, it destroys all.

@cale:

Did this actually happen, or are you making shit up? I'd ask about your use of "sacred cow", but without any context, it's hard to make a case.

It happened. I even got you to fully explain to me how Metacritic is not an objective standard by which to judge a game, or something like that. I got you pretty good I think.

I've had more fun watching Vinny play Dark Souls than I did playing Red Dead.

Jeff Gerstmann's favourite bracket.

Red Dead was a fantastic experience, especially for someone like me who has been greatly disappointed by the last few GTA outings. It also had the distinct advantage of filling a space in a genre setting that is criminally untouched in video games.

But Dark Souls, man. That ecstasy and euphoria that we all felt when Vinny landed the killing blow on Artotias. That is just the tip of the iceberg with that game. The oppressive dark fantasy setting, the unique approach to story telling and lore building, the satisfying combat, the enemy and world design. It may just be my favourite game of all time.

@cale:

I'm still not sure if you're being sarcastic or if I have a shitty memory. I'm leaning toward sarcasm, given my negative impression of Fez (all that early talk about "WE CRACKED THE CODE, YOU GUYS" makes it look impenetrable as shit).

Dark Souls, easily.

God...these are probably my top two games of the generation, and it varies from day to day which I rate over the other. I think I'll have to go with DS. I'll at least mention that John Marston is my favorite character of this generation.

I stand by you, Dark Souls.

@video_game_king: I've made a mistake I'm afraid, I just checked and it was LordXavierBritish I had that particular engagement with. I've had it in my head it was you for like a year now. Well then, at least I've never trolled you.

VGK = LXB. Makes perfect sense why I would mistake the two.

Shit's getting tense.

You hear that, @lordxavierbritish? You know what you must troll.

Red Dead was an amazing game. Dark Souls was boring. Pretty easy choice for me.

oh my god imagine if Dark Souls wins this that would be well fuckin mental

i kno i voted for it

I voted Dark Souls but I'm fine with either one winning. I think six of the eight games left are in my personal top ten of this generation.

@mracoon By the way, just a heads up since no one has pointed it out, the title of this thread says "Red Dead Demption."

This is basically heading to that Mass Effect 2/Dark Souls finale that will pain me no matter who wins.

@milkman: I can't edit polls. I'm guessing most people will know what it's meant to be.

This is part 1 of 3 of the Game of the Generation poll. I expect Dark Souls to win, I am voting Red Dead Redemption.

Dark Souls?? I can't comprehend not backing Red Dead in this. Dark Souls is great, but really 'Game of the Generation' material?

I would not have expected either of these games to make it this far.

Only Jeff can decide which is better.

Edit: Obviously its Dark Souls; pretty good storyline and interesting world vs unobtrusive storyline, awesome gameplay, and ridiculously awesome world. Red Dead certainly destroys every other Rockstar game this generation though.

Only one of these games has Jose Gonzalez.

I have to go with Red Dead.

Yes, absolutely. It's mechanics, style, and feel are still talked about today years later. All that people talk about when they mention red dead is "yeah that was pretty good" and thats it.

Plus Red Dead is an amazing game to be sure, but far from perfect. It's second act is AWFUL. It's drawn out, its boring, the characters are uninteresting, the area you're in is poorly designed so you're always running back and form on a thin strip of land. It's really poorly paced. You lose sight of your goal. Plus its god damn confusing. I'm working with these dudes, oh no im helping their enemy, but now im helping them again. Back and forth back and forth the whole time.

I don't understand the love for Dark Souls.

Uh I would tell you dark souls is derivative and lost all the best features of Demon's (the multiplayer support, better game balance) and that Red Dead is one of the few games worthy of actually being called art. I certainly won't give that praise to Dark Souls. I also laugh every time I read about how Dark Souls is "improving on the formula" when all they are doing is going back to doing MP and death the way Demon's Souls did it.

Loved Red Dead, but I gotta go with Dark Souls.

Voting for Red Dead. I still like Demon's Souls better than Dark Souls

Bye RDR. Don't let a cougar bite you on your ass on the ride out of town.

Dark Souls or bust.

Red Dead primarily because it was unexpected and turned out to be arguably the best sandbox of the last generation.

Red Dead. You guys are nuts.

Dark Souls is the best game to come out period, end of story. Red dead is great, but it is just that. Dark souls is a master piece

This poll hurts me so much. But Dark Souls eats RDR for breakfast.

Red Dead.

Dark Souls is a great display of design and mechanics.

Red Dead was an all around wonderful game and I even cried towards the end. Few games will leave you staring at the screen gutted with emotion like RDR did.

This is going to be the closest vote in the entire bracket. If it ends up being 50/50, I wouldn't be surprised.

I've said this before in the main thread but I feel Red Dead Redemption just seems right if that was named as the Game of the Generation. Ironically, a game that Giant Bomb did not even review but man that story was fucking great.