Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight and I, @zombiepie, am once again honored to be your host this week. HOLY CRAP DO WE HAVE A LOT OF CONTENT TO GO OVER THIS WEEK! With that, let's just jump right into it without any platitudes.
2016 User-Created Game Of The Year Content
Blogs
Game Of The Year Post 1: Accolades & Game Of The Year Post 2: The List (By: @samcb)
This week Samcb shared his "Special Distinction Awards" as well as his overall Game of the Year. Check out both, because they are all wonderfully written.
Here We Go Again, Time to Try and Summarize 2016 in a List of Games (By: @mezza)
MezZa tried his darnedest to summarize his year in gaming on his 2016 GOTY blog. Discover which games helped him survive the torment that was 2016.
2016 in Review: How Shooters Got Their Groove Back (By: @cav829)
Cav829 articulates why he feels 2016 was the year shooters "got their groove back."
The 2016 Mento Video Game Awards (By: @mento)
As per annual tradition, Mento brings back his stickpeople doodles to honor the year's best video games, or at least the handful he played.
GOTY 2016* (*Not All Games Actually Released In 2016) (By: @darthorange)
DarthOrange thoroughly enjoyed his time with five major games this year. Discover what they are on this blog.
2016 - The Year of Worth, Effort and Proof, But Also Missed Opportunities (By: @halidyusein)
HalidYusein blogged on the releases from 2016 and discusses how it was a year of worth, as well as unfortunate missed opportunities.
Jakob187's Favorite Games of the Year That Are Not Necessarily a Top 10 List (By: @jakob187)
There were plenty of games which tickled jakob187's fancy this year and he wrote about each of them, and what drew him to them, over here.
My Game Of The Year List For 2016! (By: @dinoracha)
Dinoracha blogged about the ten video game experiences which especially resonated with him, and how they managed to tug on his heartstrings.
Game Of The Year 2016 Thoughts (By: @tbk)
There were a bunch of video games to mull over, and this week tbk welcomes you to join him in discussing his personal gaming highlights.
Lists
- Best of 2016 (By: @asmo917)
- My Top 10 Most Enjoyed Games Of 2016 (By: @extintor)
- GOTY 2016 (By: @amlabella)
- My Favorite Ten Games of 2016 (By: @mezmero)
- GOTY 2016 (By: @chaser324)
- Best of 2016 & The Ancillaries 2016 (By: @themasterds)
- GOTY 2016 (By: @mento)
- Game of The Year 2016 (By: @hbk619)
- 2016 Games That Were Cool (By: @ltsquigs)
- GOTY 2016 (By: @majormitch)
- Game Of The Year: Riostarwind's Top 10 Games Of 2016 (By: @riostarwind)
- Best of 2016 (By: @natedagr811)
- Navster's 2016 Game of the Year List (By: @darth_navster)
- Game Of The Year 2016 (By: @renaldo_berkley)
- GOTY 2016 (By: @wemibelle)
- ZZ's 10 Best Games Of 2016 (By: @zimzamfromspace)
- GOTY 2016 (By: @smtdante89)
- Top 10 of 2016 (By: @aistan)
- 2016 END OF THE YEAR BANGER LIST (By: @helmerdrake)
- Slaughts' Game of the Year 2016 (By: @slaughts)
- 2016 - Another Baby, Another Year Of Games I Bought And Mostly Didn't Beat (By: @hardtarget)
- My Top 10 Games Of 2016 (By: @fram)
- Top Ten Games of 2016 (By: @pistolpackinpoet)
Threads
Games This Year That You Recommend Others Play, Which You Believe May Have Not Gotten A Lot Of (Or Enough) Attention? (By: @ntm)
Which games from 2016 do you believe did not get enough attention? Share your "buried treasures" from the year.
Author's Note: Hey did I miss your GOTY blog, list, and/or thread? Just drop a link to it here and I can guarantee that it will be on the next edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight! It's really that simple!
Clip of the Week
Giant Bomb TV Intros: The Odd Couple Ed. (By: @somestickguy_)
What better way to celebrate Christmas than another AMAZING Giant Bomb x TV Intro mashup from somestickguy_? This week he honored Dan with an oddly touching tribute to Dan using the theme to The Odd Couple.
I Fed Everyone In Colorado To The Great Dane Because Of Dan (By: @zolroyce)
Because Dan asked for it, Giant Bomb user ZolRoyce fed everyone in the Colorado level from Hitman to the Great Dane grinder.
Giant Bomb Galleria
BANNER - I Made A Giant Bomb Pantomime Poster (By: @rhombus_of_terror)
Check out Rhombus_Of_Terror's AMAZING Giant Bomb themed Pantomime Poster which hopefully gets you in the spirit of Christmas.
Giant Bomb Secret Santa Gift (By: the_bookshelf_v)
Over on Twitter the_bookshelf_v shared a couple of Giant Bomb themed Secret Santa gift recieved thanks to a Reddit user.
Community Activities
5th Annual GB Anime Poll for Duders: LFG In Another World Edition (By: @dochaus)
DocHaus is happily hosting the 5th Annual GB Anime Poll for Duders! Learn how to vote for your favorite anime from the year.
Best Of Blogs
Graboids 2016: A Year of Photoshops & Animations (By: @graboids)
This year graboids provided the Giant Bomb community with a slew of photoshop masterpieces which are worthy of universal praise. This week he compiled all of his creations from 2016 into a single blog post.
My Favorite Games! 10: Dune (By: @jasonr86)
JasonR86 extrapolates why Dune for the Sega-CD is one of his all-time favorite games on the first episode of a retrospective on his all-time favorite games.
Dead Rising 4: Analysis of Mechanical Changes (By: @alistercat)
Check out AlisterCat's exhustive break down of Dead Rising 4, and its mechanical changes both good and bad, to the franchise's well established formula.
Fighting Final Fantasy IX Part 75-88: This Game Just Wasted Five Hours Of My Life On Faffing About! (By: @zombiepie)
ZombiePie is still partying like it's 2000 as you can see on his blog about Final Fantasy IX's rough third disc, as well as his regrettable life choices. SPOILER: I REGRET ALL OF THEM!
Hitman, More Edgy Mirrors, Let It Die, PS+ Catch Up, And Some Japanese Demos? (By: @mooseymcman)
MooseyMcMan has been enjoying a glut of video game content, learn all about Moosey's thoughts on Hitman and Mirror's Edge Catalyst over here.
Drama, Titillation, and Consent: Thoughts on Ladykiller in a Bind (By: @darth_navster)
Darth_Navster extrapolates how Ladykiller in a Bindtranscends the weight of its genre and subject matter in creating its riveting narrative.
Playing Planet Coaster Challenge Mode - Part 4: Wooden Fantasy (By: @zeg)
Zeg provides another update on his efforts to create an entirely custom built theme park, and quest to complete the challenges in Planet Coaster.
Pokémon Sun Nuzlocke Challenge - Chapter Three (By: @danielkempster)
The third chapter to danielkempster attempting to play Pokémon Sun via the Nuzlocke Challenge, can be found here. Read all about what has most recently foiled his progress.
Sunday Summaries 18/12/2016: SOMA & Let It Die (By: @mento)
On his regular weekend update blog, Mento dives deep on Frictional's SOMA and discusses the staying power of Grasshopper's Let It Die. He's also been prepping the wiki for the upcoming Awesome Games Done Quick charity streaming event, due to begin on the 7th.
Join The Discussion
Do You Have Any Hobbies Outside Of Gaming? (By: @zevvion)
What are your hobbies outside of video games? Whether it be board gaming or sports, share them over here.
NieR Automata Demo Discussion Thread (By: @rubberluffy)
Have any of you messed around with the NieR Automatademo yet? Share your impressions of what you played with other community members.
Steam Winter Sale 2016 Discussion Thread (By: @sinusoidal)
Feel free to discuss and debate the biggest deals of the 2016 Steam Winter Sale, and what you believe other users should take advantage of.
The Walking Dead A New Frontier Episode 1 & 2 Discussion Thread (SPOILERS) (By: @milkman)
If you desire to discuss spoilers pertaining to The Walking Dead: A New Frontier, then boy do we have the thread for you!
Astroneer Pre-Alpha Discussion Thread (By: @revolve)
What have your experiences with the Astroneer pre-alpha been like? Feel free to join our discussion on the future potential of the game.
Do You Feel Compelled To Finish Every Game You Buy? (By: @meteora3255)
How compelled or obligated do you feel to finish every game you buy? Detail and share your personal standards regarding completing your gaming purchases.
What's The Best Mario Party... Party? (By: @sloppydetective)
With the feature done for a good long time, which episode of Mario Party Party was your personal favorite? Vote and discuss your pick now.
Useful User Reviews
- @moonlightmoth's review of Ladykiller in a Bind discusses how its lack of naturalism is what makes it stand out from your usual visual novel.
- @addfwyn's Final Fantasy XV review analyzes how it is a welcomed and enjoyable departure for the entire franchise.
- @pistolpackinpoet's Titanfall 2 review assesses why the game is the greatest use of robots in a video game this generation.