The Community 2016 Game Of The Year Voting Starts Now

@omegasponge: You're not alone on that one.

Yeah I'll chime in with the release date inquiry. Nights of Azure released in NA in 2016 but in JP in 2015. I put it on my list but just putting that out there since it lists 2015, its JP date.

Dates are messed up on a ton of games............here are some examples:

Dragon Quest VII (3DS) released in 2016 but states 2000

Shadow Complex Remastered (PS4) released in 2016 but states 2009

Lara Croft Go (PS4) released in 2016 but states 2015

Rise of the Tomb Raider (PS4) released in 2016 but states 2015

I hope you guys count these games as 2016 releases and don't throw them out.

I doubt Lara Croft Go or Rise of the Tomb Raider are eligible. They normally count the release date as the first NA release of a game, even if later comes to different platforms than the original. Both of those games were discussed in last year's GotY podcasts.

@chicken008: This was also my #1 pick.

@chicken008: If for no reason other than the Challenge music track. Fuck, that track gets me every time.

you mean 0 because it is a casual game with no story or point?

Among those I played, Dishonored 2 was the most fun. The ending and storyline were kinda not up to the rest of the game, along with the technical problems initially on PC, so don't think I will find it near the top for many lists, though.

Shenzen I/O was a cracking game, released a few months ago, by Zachtronics. Apparently there's no page on the system for it though.

@theanonymousmrp: I heard there was some sort of programming aspect to it but I forgot to check it out because I was too busy playing its silly solitaire minigame.

It's a weird year for me. I didn't play too many 2016 games, and World of Final Fantasy was probably my favourite, which I thought looked awful before playing the demo.

@mathematics: Thank you, forgot that was this year! Have trouble keeping pretty much all releases in their correct year in my head.

I'm voting for Day of the Tentacle in my top 10. Will it count? Who knows!

There's no option for Halo 5: Forge.

Or Rock Band: Rivals, which is an expansion so it might not count, but eh...

I noticed this last year with how high I rated Mario Maker despite not messing with it massively myself... Does anyone else feel themselves placing games higher based purely on the watching of other people (mainly GB) play them? I REALLY like playing Hitman; but I don't know that it would have had my #1 spot without Dan and Brad's assassination exploits.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_in_video_gaming

@thefakepsychic: Happy to know. :D

Steamworld Heist i played in 2016 on Sony systems, but I guess it came out on 3ds last year? -- So I left it off.....

Bravely Second says it was 2015 but I swear that was 2016?

Uncharted 4 also says 2015 in search?? But on game page says 2016... So that's my #1

@deadpanjazman: -- yes, lots of multiplayer games they play seem fun because they have the couch co-op, friends list, or enthusiast group to play with. Sadly my group of friends are either not all gamers, not able to afford games at same time, or working jobs where we don't really get to play together much. So lots of games they love fall flat for me -- Destiny, Nidhogg, Overwatch... (Mario Maker being one of them -- none of my friends had a WiiU but me).

@songbearer:It should count. GB Wiki also list DOOM as coming out in 2015 and The Witness as coming out in 2013.

@fracture: I don't think that any official list exists on the site but, there is this Wikipedia article

This is the second year in a row my favorite game came after getting to it after its late-last-year release - MGS5. So, I'll root for Stardew Valley and Superhot.

I actually had 10 games to vote on, I thought I wouldn't. I'm betting on Doom or Overwatch coming out on top, with Titanfall 2 being a darkhorse contender. Personally I have all 3 in my top 5 but none in my top 2 spots.

I still haven't even gotten to it! It looms large in my Steam back catalog, so hopefully soon. Presently working on Doom, Assassin's Creed Syndicate, Witcher 3 (250 hrs and counting), No Man's Sky (50 hrs and counting. F the haters!), Owl Boy, not to mention a healthy portion of competitive stuff. I'm sure I'll get through it before Death Stranding comes out.

Just want to put a spot light on Darkest Dungeon. A real semi-hidden gem this year. Came out in January, though recently ported to consoles. Put almost 100 hrs into that game. Now I'm waiting for the expansion due early next year. Definite top five for me.

I didn't play ten games worthy of a top ten this year, so about a third of my list is based on enjoyment I got watching other people play them.

Also, Witcher 3: Blood and Wine was longer and better than a lot of games this year. Top five for me.

Every judgement in this post is sound.

@jubs: Yup. Put Job Simulator on my list and I don't even own a VR headpiece. It was a blast and I would add Space Pirate Trainer if it came out this year.

Okay, I've changed my selection strategy, Rorie. Since DLC and expansions don't seem to be listed, I'm choosing the vanilla versions in their stead. Chose to do this for Witcher 3: Blood and Wine and Destiny: Rise of Iron (although, Destiny: Rise of Iron isn't all that impressive, I still enjoy it and feel I need to place it higher than games I merely enjoy watching other people play).

@dryker: From what I'm hearing from the site, Witchers Blood and Wine DLC sounds great, but I never got to it. Enjoy what you have, duder, no rush. I still prefer to play Resident Evil 4's PS4 release over my current backlog, too. Watching the games I may end up getting to on the site is good enough for now.

I agree with those who played last years games this year. Two of my favs would be Salt and Sanctuary and SOMA. I actually struggled a bit coming up with a decent list because of my backlog. Don't buy too many new games these days.

Man, what a great year. Had to keep removing games because I kept remembering something else I liked better this year.

Ah I like to add Xcom 2 came out Feb 2016...

@demonsoul: The early date is just when a game was first released (in any territory on any platform). Like the Dragon Quest VII page is for both the PS1 version and 3DS version.

They said to just put The Witcher 3 as your pick if you intend to vote for Blood & Wine, so similarly I'm going to put Rock Band 4 since one of my votes is going to Rock Band Rivals.

I wonder if any of them except for Alex will recognize it as worthy enough to be seen as a new release, but either way it's probably irrelevant since it won't be in the top 10.

Great year for games. Put together a quick top 10 off the top of my head with all great games. Didn't even think of Overwatch, XCom2, DarkSouls 3, Civ VI, Deus Ex, Forza Horizon or Inside.

I feel like I've mostly played a bunch of games that were good but didn't stand out, or games that did, but I didn't particularly like. Or weirdos like Mafia 3, that are all kinds of things. And then there are some games that I might reckon are both good and outstanding, that I haven't played yet, like Inside, Dishonored 2, Final Fantasy XV, Shadow Warrior 2 and every PS4 game. So don't think I can manage a full ten this year.

Mankind Divided might get on there because of that one quest that appeared and felt straight out of Vampire Bloodlines.

Giant Bomb prioritizes the first release, which is what's shown in the search. So games released in 2016 in your region on your platform, but a previous year in another region (Bravely Second) or another platform (Steamworld Heist), won't show up as 2016. But both should be fine. I'm putting Steamworld Heist on my list anyway.

No other game frustrated me, outright amazed me, and overwhelmed me with deep game design as The Witness - game of the year! Inside had the most soul, Doom was the most fun, and The Last Guardian had the most heart.

There were a lot of other good/fun games this past year, but those were the highlights for the past year.

@rorie: Killing Floor 2 is showing up as a 2015 release. It was in early access for quite awhile, but the official release date was 18th Nov 2016.

Edit: Also, as @herrheimlich says, Xcom 2 was released in Feb 2016, but is showing as a 2015 release.

Stardew Valley right guys?..

God Eater 2 Rage Burst also shows up as 2015 game. I guess it lists the Japanese release date, but I'm not sure that should count.

Edit: Same is true for Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth. Lists the Japanese release date, while the Western release was in February this year.

Man, just looking over the list of games released in 2016 and realizing how few I've actually played makes me appreciate how tough the actual GOTY stuff must be for the fine folks at Giant Bomb. Lots of great games released this year, but like 80% of them just don't qualify for me because I've only seen footage of them, but didn't have enough interest to go and play them.

I don't think I really liked any games that came out this year, Uncharted 2 was my favorite game of all time but I was so dis-hyped when UC4came out that I passed on it so far. I liked Doom, but that I only played 2 stages in 6 months says something about me and FPSs currently (Titanfall 2 would probably have went similarly). I spent ~400€ on Forza games this gen, but was bored and annoyed by Horizon 3. I regret not having played Gears, but I doubt I would have enthusiastically voted it #1. Assetto Corsa, this gens best racing game, only debuted on console in this year, so I can't vote for that... *sigh*

I hope my votes for Witcher 3 (meaning Blood and Wine) and Rise of the Tomb Raider (PC release this year) will count. Can't wait for results. Happy New Year everyone!

Obduction, Totalwar warhammer, and factorio are all getting my votes.

Oh and of course: Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel!

couldn't find Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20th Anniversay Edition for ps4.. only the xbox version

Finally I can show my love for Planet Coaster. It was DOOM/Hitman all the way for me, until a few weeks ago when PC hit, and my weekends were forever changed.

You have to trust to Jeff's judgment....or the 'Judgment of Solomon' where a baby is cut in half.

where do I go to cast my votes