men no GTA 5 in the list wow

One problem Bioshock Infinite haters have is that they don't see the separate universes as separate. So Daisy would always be this murderous psychopath in the original universe if you gave her guns. But by this point you are across several possible timelines and into one where Booker helped lead the revolution. It was the part that got to me, is this your Songbird or Comstock? Just like at the end, my Elizabeth wasn't even there for the ending. But more than anything, Irrational told a PULP story that people want to see as "high art" and are disappointed by it for not living up to those lofty standards. Me, I'll take my Doc Savage any day.

Man, GTA Online must have really soured Jeff on GTA V.

I really wasn't expecting Bioshock Infinite as #1 for Jeff, I too enjoyed the combat for the most part as the vigors were exciting to use but I got the impression that the other games on his list he had more fun playing.

The absence of Animal Crossing and GTA V is surprising. Great list.

A great list pleasantly surprised not to see the last of us at the top.

Even Naughty Dog's bold end-of-the-generation send-off, The Last of Us, was built around the well-worn trope of "zombie fun."

If you boil games down that much, I don't know how you can possibly critically analyze damn near anything.

A very interesting list, otherwise. Very Jeff. Which makes sense!

Finally, a list where Bioshock:Infinite is unabashedly number one; this is the only list matters.

You've been deceived. MGR is kinda short, but it's like 7-9 hours, not 4 hours. The "four hours" figure came from people running through the game on the easier difficulties, while the in-game timer only counts the successful gameplay runs between checkpoints. If you die or restart to get a better score, then all the time since the last checkpoint isn't counted, cutscenes aren't counted, and the really extensive optional Codec conversations might not be counted either.

I've had strangely opposite taste to Jeff since the late 90s. I played all those games and none of his top 8 even make my top 20 this year. At least he wasn't fooled by the sentimental Brothers or Gone Home.

tier 1: New Super Luigi U, GTA V, The Last of Us, Super Mario 3D World

tier 2: Tearaway, Zelda A Link Between Worlds, Pikmin 3, Animal Crossing New Leaf

tier 3: Eldritch, Volgarr the Viking, Final Fantasy XIV, The Stanley Parable

tier 4: Papers Please, Year Walk, Pandora's Tower, Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon

tier 5: The Swapper, Proteus, Monaco, Towerfall

Bioshock number 1. No appearance by Last of Us. Best list.

Why do people keep saying A Link Between Worlds is the first direct Zelda sequel? It's all becoming rather distressing for me :/

Really surprised by the absence of GTA V.

A list.

Happy to see Bioshock: Infinite at first.

For a second there I thought Jeff was cosplaying Chie in that picture.

I put a ton of time into Marvel Heroes, for about two months. Probably over 100 hours, and spent way too much money on characters and shit.

I actually never had any problems with B:I's story. Had fun with it, got the plat, maybe it isn't on my list because I played the PS3 version that came with the original Bioshock and ended playing that more and finally got around finishing Bioshock 2. Come to think of it I played a lot of that franchise this year... great games...

I digress... the reason B:I is not on my GOTY list is because having played the full three games to completion this year (got the 3 platinums) I feel the weakest in the gameplay mechanics and how well the story worked with the game was actually B:I... yet i think the story was VERY GOOD... and a disney movie (yes, you read that right) featuring this story is something I would pay to see. This actually makes me wonder why Jeff was so jaded toward stories of video games in the day 2 deliberations (I'm siding with Vinny on that one) I feel this nomination and the "people who pick apart stories are not fun to be around" comes off as kind of ironic here.

Last of Us took me completely by surprise, finally was able to get a copy in December and finished my first playthrough right before GB's GOTY thing started. I'm on the same page as almost everyone else in that it is pretty high on my list but not on top. It most definitely is the "universal" GOTY because of this... the emotions, man, i've got a beautiful 4yo baby girl, and when I finished the prologue tears where rolling down my cheeks (akin to the "pinky" scene in B:I, just not as intense).I think the genius of the last of us is exactly how it takes the most tired and cliched story ever and makes you care(!), I'm old and very jaded myself and it shook me. I find it odd it didn't make Mr. Gerstmann's list, would like to hear more on his rationalization for that other than: "Fucking zombie story? Again?" But if it's just that I respect it, as I said it's not MY GOTY either.

GTAV: finished the story twice, had a great time playing it. Burned myself on it... haven't touched it since. It'll be on my list next year when it comes out for PC/PS4/XBONE and wows me again with its technical excellence.

Cheers Everyone!

I really want to love BioShock as much as everyone else. It's such an awesome world with such an interesting story. But the part where you played it just didn't live up to all the great stuff that surrounded it. Great game, but can't help but feel it could have been one of the greatest ever had it played a little better.

Also, to everyone saying "BioShock finally getting the attention it deserves!" you're an idiot. It was Drew's GOTY too and the only list it didn't appear on was Patrick's.

FUCK YOU.

I AM FUN TO BE AROUND, JEFF GERSTMAN!

I often don't have the same taste as Jeff and sometimes I can get really frustrated by some of the stuff he says - and then he can write up a list like this with his explanations and I can go "Yeah, OK."

Same for me. After DmC I wanted to keep playing character action, especially since despite all the silly nonsense surrounding DmC it's a fantastic game. At the time though I didn't want to pay full price for what people kept saying is roughly a 4-5 hr experience. Now that it's coming out for PC with increased cutting technology I'm down to give it a shot.

Antichamber, huh? Jeff didn't say much about that one this year.

And hell yeah Gunpoint! Quality pick!

I would picket Back to the Future Part 2. The original is an American classic and you're gonna shit all over it with that?!

dang someone finally agreed with some of my picks, all of my opinions are now completely validated

I love me some Antichamber

@cb1115: i think it had a lot to do with GTA Online and Jeff mentioned that he wantes to take the entire game into consideration and not just the single player and it made him think lesser of the game due to the online component.

Also I'm a bit disappointed at number one...because I KNOW IN @JEFF'S HEART OF HEARTS that motherfucking WINDJAMMERS is his TRUE NUMBER ONE GAME. I just know it...

Liking great games is being fooled?

Jeff Gerstmann is my spirit animal.

I like that Jeff still looks for a good time in video games instead of sappy drama pieces.

WORD!

Heck yeah Antichamber! Underappreciated.

@winternet: gta online killed it for jeff

please write more!

I'm surprised Animal Crossing: New Leaf didn't make it on here since he played it so much this year. But hey. Glad to finally see a list without Gone Home on it just for a change of pace, even though I know Jeff liked it.

Good list Jeff. Bioshock Infinite was the best game of this year for me as well:

The ending was incredible ( i didnt read all those multiverse / time travel novels), the gfx (played on pc) were amazing and the music with the faux old songs was brilliant. :D

PS: dunno about the 'last Bioshock' thing. What about a Bioshock 4 set on the moon?? kinda wanna see that...

Holy shit that tier 1. Replace GTA V with The Wonderful 101 and Pokemon X and you have my top 5.

Look at this @jasonr86, @mariachimacabre, and @enigma777! I'm not the only one!!!!!! New Super Luigi U is great!

I wonder if The Last of Us would have made Jeff's list if the... event in July hadn't of happened.

The best top 3-list!! Thanks Jeff.., and thanks for all content this year. Keep it up!! :)

I feel like the people who pick at BioShock Infinite's various paradoxes probably aren't much fun to be around.

This is a solid sentence which sums up what I think of the opposition to Bioshock aptly.

Fully expecting GTA Online to come into its own next year with the addition of heists, one can dream. Personally don't understand how the addition of something for free can have such a detriment on such a quality game. Good list though.

Totally surprised by his #1!

Also "I feel like the people who pick at BioShock Infinite's various paradoxes probably aren't much fun to be around." Indirectly calling Brad and Patrick out. Love it =)

NEVER NOT PUNCHING.

It's missing The Last of Us