Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Anyways, welcome to 2022! Oh, and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight! I, @zombiepie, am once again honored to be your host as we look back at all of the wonderful community-created offerings from the past week. This being another edition of the Spotlight that looks at user GOTY lists means there's a lot to mull over! Speaking of which, remember that Giant Bomb's 2021 GOTY coverage will begin in January and is NOT CANCELLED! Community voting will also take place during that time and is not cancelled as well. With all of that in mind, let's jump into the Spotlight because, as I said earlier, there's a lot to share this week.
Tweets
didn't have many good logos for this house design, but @giantbomb works well, imo #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/vZUN016zkL
— Logan J (@_hellogan) December 30, 2021
— 𝕵ä𝖗ē𝖉 (@darkbase) December 28, 2021
@giantbomb All snuggled in for Christmas. This thing is surprisingly comfy. Great job @frailgesture!
— Professional Gentleman of Leisure (@EmersonBroccoli) December 25, 2021
Also, did you know that Giantbomb Premium is on sale for just $35/yr through 12/31? Support the site so they can make another 13 years of dumb but cool merch (and videos, too)! pic.twitter.com/euC3WzUfO3
Rorie is on the top of his game in @GiantBomb's Discord server #GiantBombhttps://t.co/kZlcG5q1vL pic.twitter.com/JuAtSxpJaU
— Digital Logjam (@DigitalLogjam) December 24, 2021
Another year in the Team @giantbomb top 10 for #EXTRALIFE! Absolutely floored by everyone who donated and supported the drive. It was a rough year and things didn't go as planned but we made our goal and then some! Time to figure out how to make next year even bigger! pic.twitter.com/m9dzFXVrJt
— Mookie Thomas (@mookiethomas) December 29, 2021
Right now it’s pizza rolls and chips for us lol. And more specifically, I’m wearing a @giantbomb onesie, and stuffing my face lol. pic.twitter.com/pdRmPbJpd6
— Mike Bataligin (@bigevil1987) January 1, 2022
Our latest expert
— Giant Bomb Haiku (@GiantBombHaiku) December 29, 2021
endorsement for Giant Bomb
Premium is here! https://t.co/cbxDFO2SMv
Community-Created GOTY Content!
Author's Note: If you wrote a 2021 GOTY list or blog on the site and you do not see it here, feel free to post it over here on the official community GOTY list sharing thread! I you post anything in the thread after the publishing of this Spotlight, I will try to include your list or blog on the next one.
GOTY Lists
- My Top 10 of 2021 (By: @forcecommander)
- GOTY 2021 (By: @majormitch)
- Best of 2021 (By: @marino)
- 2021 GOTY & Giant Bomb Community Callbacks (By: @zombiepie)
- Twelve Incredible Games Played in 2021 That Were Not From 2021 (Except for One of Them) (By: @mento)
- GOTY 2021 (By: @wemibelle)
- GOTY 2021 (By: @noobsauceg7)
- Top 10 Of 2021 (By: @nateandrews)
- GOTY 2021 (By: @amlabella)
- GOTY 2021 (By: @beachthunder)
- Top 10 Of 2021 (By: @dialthedude)
- I Played Some Video Games In 2021 (By: @vyzndr)
- Best of 2021 (By: @sweep)
- Best of 2021 (By: @finaldasa)
- 2021 Year Of The Gamers (By: @mysoul)
- TOP 10 GAMES I PLAYED IN 2021 (By: @serryl)
- GOTY 2021 (By: @chaser324)
- GOTY 2021 (By: @rmanthorp)
- Game Of The Year 2021 (By: @jaqen_hghar)
- TFP's Top 10 Games of 2021 (By: @thefakepsychic)
- Game of the Year 2021 (By: @gravitypenguin)
- GOTY 2021 (By: @zubatov)
- Game Of The Year 2021 (By: @willin)
- Games That Defined My 2021 (By: @mindbullet)
- GOTY 2021 (By: @beard_of_zeus)
- Top 10 Games 2021 (By: @totsboy)
- Game of the Year... 2021 (By: @undeadpool)
- 2021 GOTY (By: @suits)
- Game of the Year 2021 (By: @metalbaofu)
- Best New Old Games of 2021 (By: @rjayb89)
GOTY Blogs
The 2021 Moosies Video Game Awards! (By: @mooseymcman)
It is time once again to herald another edition of MooseyMcMan 's "Moosies Video Game Awards" on Giant Bomb! Catch such wonderful superlatives like "Hashtag of the Year" or "High School After School Club Adviser Simulator of the Year!"
2021 Year in Reflection (By: @imunbeatable80)
imunbeatable80 accomplished a lot on Giant Bomb throughout 2021 and re-reviews some of the highlights and lowlights from their last year of gaming and blogging!
Game of the Year 2021 (By: @superharman)
2021 didn't quite hit like 2020 did for Superharman, but as you can see on their 2021 GOTY blog on the site, they still thought there were plenty of solid gaming experiences to be had in the year.
My Game of the Year 2021 (By: @bondfish)
bondfish couldn't just limit themselves to games released in 2021, so you'll find plenty of classic games throughout the ages on their 2021 GOTY blog both big and small.
My End of 2021 Awards (By: @danielkempster)
Long-time Giant Bomb blogger, danielkempster exhaustively reviews the positive and negative gaming experiences they had in 2021! Read all about their gaming lows and highs as a frontline worker for the NHS!
Wilsown's Top 10 (And 1) Games of 2021 (By: @wilsown)
wilsown not only lists their favorite games from 2021 on their latest blog, but they also handed out a handful of "superlative" awards like "Best banger of an opening theme song!"
My Top Ten Games of 2021 (By: @gamer_152)
Like many, Gamer_152 had more fun in 2021 playing games that did not come out during the year. However, a few games released in 2021 did manage to crack their GOTY list and you can find out which ones by clicking the link above.
'Games of the Year' 2021 (By: @cyklone)
Cyklone got through the wild and often wacky year that was 2021 thanks to video games and you can read which games they are most grateful having played on their 2021 GOTY blog.
2021 Reflection and Games of the Year (By: @franzlska)
FRANZlSKA didn't just create your "typical" GOTY list for 2021. For their game ranking, they reflected on their favorite gaming experiences and why they matter so much to them. Read their reflections and hopefully it inspires you to make a similar post.
Blogs
A Year Of Wadjet Eye Games - A Retrospective And Ranking (By: @magnetphonics)
At the start of 2021, Giant Bomb user MagnetPhonics promised to play all of the Blackwell games. They did that and then kept going.... Yup, in one year they managed to play EVERY SINGLE GAME Wadjet Eye Games has ever made!
My Top 10 Japanese Songs of 2021 +
My Top 10 Korean Songs of 2021 (By: @wemibelle)
To anyone in the Giant Bomb community looking for music recommendations, Wemibelle has you covered with TWO BLOGS that review the ten best K-Pop and J-Pop songs from the year!
Kena: Bridge Of Spirits Seemed Like A Can't Miss Game For Me. The Camera And Other Issues Made Me Kind Of Hate It. (By: @bigsocrates)
bigsocrates pens why Lost in Random is a solid video game for those of you seeking game that mixes Nightmare Before Christmas, Alice in Wonderland, and Hand of Fate all in one package. Second, bigsocrates takes to the site to explain why F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch may warrant receiving their "Worst Video Game Writing of the Year" demerit when they get around to writing GOTY content. Finally, they discuss how Kena: Bridge of Spirits almost managed to be a GOTY candidate and a "can't miss" experience until they butted up against its camera and sharp difficulty curve.
VN-ese Waltz: December - Spirit Hunter: Death Mark (By: @mento)
Moderator Mento continues their blog series examining lesser reported VNs with a look at Death Mark! Check out why they enjoyed its distinctive structure and solid localization but hated its constant lewdness.
Returnal Eight Months Later (By: @lapsariangiraff)
LapsarianGiraff writes on why they finally played Returnal after avoiding it for eight months and how the Returnal of December 2021 is a very different beast from the Returnal of April 2021.
Mobile Game of the Week: Fantasy Life Online (By: @daavpuke)
Daavpuke felt like mobile games were not as represented on the site as they should be on Giant Bomb. Therefore, they are starting a new series where they look at a different mobile game every week. This time, they checked out Fantasy Life Online.
Discussion Threads
Do You Have Rules About How Much Time Your Kids Can Spend Playing Video Games? (By: @sweep)
To the members of the Giant Bomb community that are parents, what rules do you have about how much time your kids can play video games? Share your tips with the rest of the community using the link.
Your "Game You Played For The First Time In 2021 That Didn't Come Out In 2021" Of The Year? (By: @banefirelord)
With 2021 GOTY talk swirling, what are the games not from the year that you discovered and enjoyed? Were there any backlog games that you fell in love with in 2021?
A Little Surprised There's No Thread On The Passing Of John Madden (By: @bigsocrates)
To mark the tragic passing of John Madden, join the rest of the community in sharing your memories of their NFL commentary and the video game franchise that bore his name for decades.
Sum Your 2022 Gaming Plans In 1 Or 2 Words Or A Short Phrase. 2022 The Year Of The *Blank* (By: @sometingbanuble)
Here's a link to a fun community activity! Explain your 2022 gaming "resolutions" in one to two sentences! Are you hoping to play a big 2022 release or something from your backlog?
Your 2021 Game Pass Review With Use Of Your Time As A Metric (By: @sometingbanuble)
For those of you that bought Game Pass or maintained a Game Pass subscription throughout 2021. Did you feel like you got your value out of your subscription? Share why or why not with the Giant Bomb community!
Mayo x Oreo Discussion Thread (By: @monkeyman04)
Soooo... how many of you have tried dunking Oreos into mayonnaise for the lulz? I know there are some Giant Bomb users out there that tried it after the Mayo Bowl.
Final Fantasy VII Remake PC Settings Suggestion Thread (By: @jasonr86)
For those of you in the community that also picked up a PC copy of Final Fantasy VII Remake, what custom settings do you have to make the game run better? Share your modifications and rejiggering using the link above!
How Long Do You Think It'll Be Before You Can Just Buy One? (By: @sombre)
Here's a link to a thread in which users speculate how long it will be before one will be able to simply walk into a store and pick up a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S. Optimists say late 2022, others say 2023.
Were You Impressed By Early 3D Graphics? Weirdly Enough, I Wasn't. (By: @poplove)
Here's a fun discussion thread on the forums: were you impressed by early 3D graphics? Some users say even as kids, they preferred 2D pixel art to early 3D polygonal shapes. Me? I still think about that Mother 3 N64 demo.
Lists
I'm Keeping Track of Every Game I Played in 2021 (By: @niflhe)
At the start of the year, niflhe created a list on the site that they promised would highlight every game they played in 2021 with mini-reviews of their impressions and thoughts. With 2021 behind us, it is nice to see niflhe followed through on their promise.
User Reviews
- @yyninja continues their review retrospective of the Yakuza franchise with a look at Yakuza 4 and shares why they think the game does not emphasize the franchise's main gameplay draws.
Wonderful Wikis
2021 was a good year for visual novels and you might be surprised to know that Giant Bomb's concept page for the genre is one of the best descriptions of it and exhaustively reviews the many shapes and forms visual novels have taken over the years.
Also... BRING TOKIMEKI MEMORIAL TO THE WEST YOU COWARDS!
Wiki Page Of The Week Recommendations
Alright, I mentioned last week that the Wiki Page of the Week feature wasn't dead, but it needed recommendations from the community. If you can think of anything that is "worthy" of showcasing, send them to me however you can. Also, remember, self-promotion is ENCOURAGED! Also, the feature hasn't made a return yet not due to lack of caring. Things have been busy at the office and the hope is to get the feature back up and running soon-ish.