Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight and I, @zombiepie, am once again honored to be your host! Alright, right off the bat, I want to share a bit of a disclaimer. Last week, I promised I would start compiling user-created blogs and lists separately from the rest of the Spotlight. Well, that's unfortunately not the case and I'm sorry about that one. Next week, I hope to create a thread where users can post and discuss their GOTY lists in a single thread, but I wasn't able to get around to doing that soon. Again, sorry about that, but do not let my occasionally busy schedule discourage you from making a 2020 GOTY list, blog, or video! With that concession in mind, let's jump into the site-related housekeeping!
- For those unaware about the site's plans for GOTY content, the staff have decided to delay all 2020 GOTY plans until January 2021. As Alex shared during the 12/10/2020 drum stream, there are plans to host a ton of guest lists and for there to be remote "skits" for GOTY. However, all of this will take place some time next year.
- Our sister site, GameSpot has started their GOTY content! This week they rolled out their unranked nominees for every category!
- Pre-orders on the Giant Bomb Track Suit will close at 12/16/2020! They are expected to ship at December 21st, so, consider them a "late" Christmas gift if that is your plan.
Tweets
Happy 10-year anniversary to the last time @VinnyCaravella turned the video quality down.@giantbomb - https://t.co/mWnwT7RCQg pic.twitter.com/9cnwREa4NF
— Brad Lynch (@MarinoV1) December 9, 2020
hi @alex_navarro pic.twitter.com/MevEEduP2u
— G4 Clip Zone (@g4clipzone) December 10, 2020
Hey, do you need some wholesome @giantbomb forum content in your life right now?
— GB Duders Feed (@GBDudersFeed) December 8, 2020
TurtleFish bought a Costco bulk pack of Doritos and wants YOU, YES YOU, to enjoy their Call of Duty XP promo codes!
THEY HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR TWO WEEKS!
Thread: https://t.co/bEoxkE9XBW pic.twitter.com/agAaGzu27z
I have never seen a surface-to-air combat vehicle shake its ass like that in my life.
— Giant Bomb Out of Context (@giantbomb_ooc) December 10, 2020
- Brad Shoemaker, 2014
During the #TNT from 8/4/11 Sean Coonce (@cooncesean) chats with Ryan about UT2003 vs UT2004.
— Giant Bomb Nonsense (@GB_Nonsense) December 10, 2020
Ryan's opinion of UT2004 might sound ... a bit familiar to recent listeners of the Bombcast. (@giantbomb @GBDudersFeed) pic.twitter.com/eeRocFXLkj
Video Clip Of The Day
Giant Bomb Animated (Kinda) - Drama and Curry (By: samcb)
In response to absolutely nothing at all, no sir, nothing at all, here's a link to an old "Animated Beastcast" clip of Austin dramatically reviewing a report on Paradox's response to negative reviews of Stellaris upon the game's launch.
Galleria Of Art
"Brad Thinks He Beat The Lost Levels" (By: @ewzzy)
Those of you who have been following Brad's attempts to beat Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels know this magical moment all too well. Ah yes, the moment Brad discovered that there are "secret levels" to OG Super Mario Bros is a gift that keeps on giving.
In Honor Of Vinny's Idea, I Present Vbux Or Food (By: @keithflavored)
KeithFlavored has been thinking about Vinny's joke about "vbux or food" and decided to turn the hilarious Beastcast moment into a web comic! Take a gander and support their creative endeavors using the link.
Community Activities
World of Warcraft Alliance/Horde Community Link (By: @rorie)
In light of various updates, Mr. Rorie is attempting to gauge interest in reviving the World of Warcraft Alliance/Horde Giant Bomb groups! Share if you have checked up on the old community alliances and what you would like to see!
Official Santa Hat Extravaganza 2020: Pandemic Version (By: @mightyduck)
IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN! It's time to don your Giant Bomb avatar/profile picture with a Santa hat! Get help if you need it using the link! Or, you're MattyFTM and don your avatar with Soviet imagery!
Blogs
2020 Dad Games Of The Year (By: @justinhall)
justinhall uses their latest blog on Giant Bomb to review what they think were the "2020 Dad Games Of The Year!" Read which games from 2020 made the daily goings-on of being a father a little bit better for them.
What's the Greatest Video Game(s): NBA 2K18 & NBA 2K20 (By: @imunbeatable80)
Last week, imunbeatable80 went back to NBA 2K18 & NBA 2K20 and tries to assess each of their "legacies" as the franchise moves into a new generation of consoles.
The Anti-Choice Game (SPOILERS For Yes, Your Grace) (By: @raven10)
Raven10 uses their blog on Yes, Your Grace to discuss why choice-based games need to respect the player's choices from beginning to end or otherwise jeopardize the player's investment in their world and narrative.
Gorilla Radio: Improvisation in Ape Out (By: @gamer_152)
Moderator Gamer_152 returns to blogging with a look at Ape Out from developer Gabe Cuzzillo and shares why they found it to be an infectiously exciting experiment in improvisation and reactive systems.
Welcome to Go! Go! GOTY! 2020 (By: @mento)
Mento has a SMATTERING of blogs for you to enjoy this week! First, we have their new GOTY series in which they look at the indie games they meant to play earlier, but are now just getting around to playing. This weeks' subjects include: Paradise Killer, Part Time UFO, and Murder by Numbers! Here's a link to their "hub blog" in case you want to check out their new or old blogs!
Cristian's Opening Of The Year (By: @cristianarg)
Ah, it's Cristian, everyone's favorite Argentine anime expert from the Giant Bomb Discord! If you wanted an exhaustive list of their favorite anime openings from the Hell year that was 2020, then this is the blog for you!
Discussion Thread & Forums
Your Most Anticipated Game of 2021? (By: @liquiddragon)
What are the 2021 video game released you are most looking forward to playing? Is there a big AAA release you cannot wait to play or is it a smaller indie game? Vote and discuss your pick with the community!
Will You Buy Cyberpunk Now That You've Seen The Reviews? (By: @sweep)
Have the reviews for Cyberpunk 2077 impacted your excitement to buy or play the game? To those who pre-ordered the game, do you still feel confident? Join the discussion, and please keep it civil and respectful.
Cyberpunk 2077 Performance Discussion Thread (By: @justin258)
Calling all Cyberpunk 2077 owners and players! What settings are your running the game on, and how has your performance been like? Has the game's janky launch impacted your ability to play the game with the setting you were planning for?
Cyberpunk 2077 Spoiler-Free Gameplay Discussion/ Bug Talk (By: @colourful_hippie)
What are some of the funniest and hilarious bugs you have encountered in Cyberpunk 2077? Join the community discussion thread in sharing your experiences with the game's jank and technical mishaps.
Cyberpunk 2077 Screenshots Thread (By: @fetchfox)
Calling those Giant Bomb users playing Cyberpunk 2077, what are best screencaps you have taken in the game? Feel free to post them using the thread link, and here are some community photos!
Gaming Plans For 2021 (By: @senorsucks2suck)
What are your gaming plans in 2021? Do you plan to play more or less games next year? Will 2021 see more or less backlog games on your docket? Join the discussion using the link!
How Crazy Is It That They Decided To Delay Halo Infinite? (By: @notsosneakyguy)
What are your feelings about the Halo Infinite delay announcement? Does it reflect poorly on the 343 Industries era of the franchise? Join the community discussion and share your reaction!
What Has Been Your Best "I Can't Play This Game" Alternative Game? (By: @stantongrouse)
A lot of users have come forward to admit they do not have the technical or hardware specs to even consider playing Cyberpunk. What are some alternatives you can think for these users? Can you think of a time when you were in this situation?
What Are The Best First-Person Melee Games? (By: @bisonhero)
Here's a discussion thread debating the "best first-person melee" video games! Common community suggestions include Zeno Clash, Dead Island, and Vermintide 2! Share and discuss you pick or picks using the link!
Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond Will Require 340 Gigs Of SSD Space (By: @rorie)
Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond will require 340 GBs of SSD space. Does this put the game thoroughly out of reach for you or are you still excited to give it a try?
How Many 2020 Games Have You Finished This Year? (By: @diamond_lime)
With 2020 being what it is, how many video games did you manage to complete during the year? Is it more or less than normal? Did the pandemic have a negative or positive impact on your gaming backlog?
Lists
Games That Need A Remake/HD Remaster/Port To Modern Systems (By: @alex_sbd)
alex_sbd uses their latest list on the site to annotate the games they think most deserve an HD Remaster on the new batch of consoles! Give it a read and think about making a list of your own!
Studios That Have Earned My Complete And Total Trust (By: @jeremyf)
jeremyf took inspiration from another user by creating a list of video game studios that have "earned my complete and total trust." Review their list and think about which devs would be on your list.
User Reviews
- @yyninjas The Fall Part 2: Unbound review shares why they do not think the game captures the spirit of the original and largely misses the mark.
- @senorsucks2suck finally got around to playing Hitman (2016) and uses their review of the game to share why they don't feel bad about save scumming every mission.
- @danryback's last Action 52 review on Giant Bomb was such a big hit that they felt inspired to review the Genesis port separately! As they put it "If Action 52 on the NES is shit, then the Genesis version is a polished turd."
- @danryback continues their deep dive into the worst games on the NES with a review on the site of Layla, an action platformer from DB-Soft! Read why they think there's a good game buried somewhere in it.