2012 GOTY Battlegrounds

As Brad said in this week's I Love Mondays, all that's pretty much left is Far Cry 3 and this year it's ovah. Done. BOOM! We are now entering GOTY territory. I already have a Lobbying Thread, if you want to check it out please do. But, I am now interested in something different.

Every year, during the GOTY podcasts, there is a time where all it's left is a very select group of games from which to decide the Game Of The Year. And then there are battles to be fought, arguments to be had, like MGS 4 vs GTA 4 or last year's Skyrim vs Saints Row. This year will be no different, so I'm interesting in doing a little prediction and see what you guys think as well.

Here are some aspects that I think will play a major role during this year's debates:

• Jeff's reaction to The Walking Dead: Not to say that Jeff has more deciding power than the rest of the guys. He's just the only one we don't know yet how he feels about the game. And it can alter the chances of The Walking Dead getting to the top of the list. He not caring much about Red Dead Redemption played a big part in 2010.

• How much support will the early games get: It's natural that games that have come out 6 or more months ago have less momentum than games that came out in the previous month or two. How much will this harm games like Diablo III, Trials Evo or Journey? Does anyone still remember that Rhythm Heaven Fever came out this year and that is awesome?

• The little guys vs the big guns: More than any other year, I feel like the "indie" games will play a much bigger role. Yes, they've always been up there, from Braid in 08 to Bastion last year, but this year is different, even by it's sheer amount. Journey, Fez, Trials Evo, Spelunky, Dust: An Elysian Tail, Mark Of The Ninja, Hotline Miami. How will they fair when placed next to the Halos, Assassins, Mass Effects and other giants of the industry.

Two other things: XCOM - can a turn-based strategy game go all the way? CIV V was just pretty much Ryan behind at the time, but it seems different with XCOM; Persona 4 Golden - None of them will actually play it, right? It's arguably the best game of the year and no one will play it.

Well, what do you guys think? What are going to be the swing states of this year's GOTY deliberations?

I'm just sad that Mass Effect 3 probably won't get the recognition it deserves. Totally understand if it's not their game of the year. Hell even if its not in their top ten but I feel like they are more harsh on that game than it deserves. I know people don't like the ending but overall I think it's an excellent game. It will most definitely be in my top ten this year

The Walking Dead and Persona 4 Golden are in another league of quality compared to every other game released this year.

I don't think XCOM deserves it at all, I encountered far too many bugs in that game for my liking.

Edit: I guess it's fairer for The Walking Dead to take it, as Persona 4 Golden is of course just an enhanced version of a 2008 game. (not to dismiss it though, it looks and plays fantastic)

At the very least, I think it's safe to say that Halo 4, Mass Effect 3 or Assassin's Creed 3 won't be taking the GOTY Gold.

@Sooty said:

The Walking Dead and Persona 4 Golden are in another league of quality compared to every other game released this year.

I don't think XCOM deserves it at all, I encountered far too many bugs in that game for my liking.

you can say that about any game though.

I think Crusader Kings 2 is in another league of quality compared to everything else this year but I don't think anyone here but me and @Atlas agrees with that.

and plenty of people can have problems with walking dead (I did, I felt the puzzles were really boring, and that constitutes a not small part of that game)

Why would they bring up persona 4 again? Is that game really different than any other re-release? Why wouldn't they just start arguing that MGS3 or halo Anniversary is game of the year for 2011?

It's probably walking dead vs xcom for GOTY but it would be crazy if Far Cry 3 came out of nowhere as a last minute contender, just to spice things up.

@Animasta said:

@Sooty said:

The Walking Dead and Persona 4 Golden are in another league of quality compared to every other game released this year.

I don't think XCOM deserves it at all, I encountered far too many bugs in that game for my liking.

you can say that about any game though.

I think Crusader Kings 2 is in another league of quality compared to everything else this year but I don't think anyone here but me and @Atlas agrees with that.

and plenty of people can have problems with walking dead (I did, I felt the puzzles were really boring, and that constitutes a not small part of that game)

I'm gonna pull rank with Metacritic.

(fuck anyone who finds a higher game than P4G's 95 that came out this year, you just killed my last stand)

Edit: I do have problems with The Walking Dead myself, the actual game part of it was kind of a chore. That'd be a huge problem if it was intending to be more of a gamey-game.

also patrick and ryan I think both are playing P4G (or at least have talked about it at some point)

I think early games tend to be forgotten by the time GOTY talks roll around, but I feel pretty confident in my assumption that Journey and Trials Evo will get some love.

I predict that this will be the Year of the Small Game. The top 10 is going to have more little guys in it than ever before, including one at the top. Big name releases this year were disappointing more often than not.

@Sooty: the rerelease of the world ends with you matched it

also ME3 was the highest rated 'new' game that came out this year so........... let's not get into metacritic

@Animasta said:

@Sooty: also ME3 was the highest rated 'new' game that came out this year so........... let's not get into metacritic

gross

@Sackmanjones: Honestly, from what they were saying around the release of RE6, it sounds like Mass Effect 3 was going to get some heavy criticism until a "worse" sequel came along.

I think they might be able to sway Jeff on The Walking Dead, but if he doesn't play it, he might not stand to get filibustered into submission like last year. Jeff can be kind of stubborn with his end of year stuff (like with RDR in 2010), but then again, I think that enough of the staff have raved about it that it'll place fairly high.

I doubt many of them will play Persona 4 Golden, and I think Jeff even joked that, if he did, he wasn't going to like it based on whatever and anything they changed. I think Diablo III might get on there, but it would also depend on how it stacks up against Torchlight 2 in the discussion. Though I wouldn't be surprised if neither of them made it.

EDIT: I wonder if Dishonored has a shot at getting on there. I haven't played it yet however. My copy is coming tomorrow.

XCOM has a lot of novelty value, and is exactly the sort of game I should be rooting for, but I just don't think the quality is there when it comes down to it. It's a solid enough example of the genre, but really not all that far ahead of something like UFO: Afterlight. I probably had more fun with Afterlight tbh.

Far Cry 3 sounds a lot better than I was expecting and I still haven't played AC3 yet (waiting for PC version, which arrived today), so I'm really hoping one of those turns out to be something I'd be enthusiastic to call GOTY.

@CrossTheAtlantic said:

@Sackmanjones:

I doubt many of them will play Persona 4: Golden, and I think Jeff even joked that, if he did, he wasn't going to like it based on whatever and anything they changed. I

Yeah that struck me as a bit weird because even if you don't like a few of the tweaks here and there the game itself is improved in quite a few areas, especially the visuals, the exploration segments look friggin gorgeous.

As I've said, I'm pretty sure it's a three-way battle between XCOM, Walking Dead, and Journey. I think Patrick is definitively team TWD, Ryan will root TWD and XCOM over Journey, Vinny will root TWD over XCOM, Brad will root Journey over XCOM, and Jeff will root XCOM over Journey.

But impressions on Episode 5 and the series conclusion will pretty much define the allegiances of our team. And Far Cry 3 has space to upset if it's really as amazing as it always looked like it might be.

It's all about Ohio.

The new dungeon in Persona 4: Golden is the best dungeon in the game.

Mass Effect 3 deserves no recognition, I still don't think that as a game, it is as good as the first Mass Effect.

Sleeping Dogs is my pick for this site to choose for game of the year, seems to be the one the guys were all clearly loving.

Biggest disappointment will be going to Darksiders 2 most likely though Mass Effect 3 will have a shot judging by some recent comments made while discussing Resident Evil 6, which also has a shot here.

Persona 4 does not deserve the nod, remake or not. Are you crazy?

I think the discussion for GOTY will be between Forza (because of Jeff), XCOM, Mark of the Ninja, Sleeping Dogs and Diablo 3, with the two games leading a 2 hour battle being Mark of the Ninja and Sleeping Dogs.

@ThePickle said:

It's all about Ohio.

is ohio ryan in this context

I think really it comes down to The Walking Dead and XCOM. As much as I like XCOM I think The Walkng DEad will edge it out in the end. This might turn intro a Skyrim-Saints Row The third debate like we had last year.

I want Sleeping Dogs to get some recognition.

@ThePickle: Very true. I feel like Florida won't mean anything this year though. Thank God.

It'll come down to XCOM vs. The Walking Dead, no question. Hotline Miami will take third, followed by Journey, then Halo 4 or Black Ops 2. While Jeff's opinion is certainly a wildcard, I haven't heard a single criticism of TWD from anyone anywhere, and it's an original property, not a remake. It also (at long last) masters the episodic formula pioneered at Telltale Games. I'd put my chips down on it.

@Colourful_Hippie said:

I want Sleeping Dogs to get some recognition.

I think Vinny (and patrick, but this is less certain) will fight for it. It won't be top 5 but i think it will make the top 10

@Animasta said:

@Colourful_Hippie said:

I want Sleeping Dogs to get some recognition.

I think Vinny (and patrick, but this is less certain) will fight for it. It won't be top 5 but i think it will make the top 10

The only thing left then would be Binary Domain which really is the sleeper for this year because even I almost forgot that I played it a while back. I doubt it will even hit 10 but Big Bo needs to get his.

Best downloadable game is going to be effing crazy. Dust, Hotline Miami, Fez, Mark of the Ninja, The Walking Dead, Journey, Trials and Spelunky in the same category? Fuck me. I could see any of them making the full top 10!

@Colourful_Hippie said:

@Animasta said:

@Colourful_Hippie said:

I want Sleeping Dogs to get some recognition.

I think Vinny (and patrick, but this is less certain) will fight for it. It won't be top 5 but i think it will make the top 10

The only thing left then would be Binary Domain which really is the sleeper for this year because even I almost forgot that I played it a while back. I doubt it will even hit 10 but Big Bo needs to get his.

The Darkness II also came out this year, as well!... Anybody?? =(

@Yummylee: *cough* shameless plug *cough*

But yeah Darkness 2 was a fun game, very linear but gameplay was a real step up from the last one.

@Colourful_Hippie said:

@Animasta said:

@Colourful_Hippie said:

I want Sleeping Dogs to get some recognition.

I think Vinny (and patrick, but this is less certain) will fight for it. It won't be top 5 but i think it will make the top 10

The only thing left then would be Binary Domain which really is the sleeper for this year because even I almost forgot that I played it a while back. I doubt it will even hit 10 but Big Bo needs to get his.

The Darkness II also came out this year, as well!... Anybody?? =(

Hey guys I am only going to say: Syndicate. 5 Stars.

@Animasta said:

@ThePickle said:

It's all about Ohio.

is ohio ryan in this context

Ryan is more like New Hampshire. He could go either way but in the end he's not a big deciding factor.

Jeff is Ohio because he plays a big role in deciding the winners.

Brad is Texas because he's southern and usually won't budge on his ideals.

Vinny is Washington state because he's more of a supporter than a leader.

Patrick is Florida because he is very divisive and, as much as some people may want to, you can't ignore him.

Alex is Alaska because he's far away and no one pays much attention to him.

Drew is Puerto Rico because he is outside of the core group but is getting closer to becoming part of it.

Dave is Oregon because if it were up to him and him alone the results would be crazy.

Rorie is Wyoming because everyone forgets he exists.

They guys talked more about XCOM then they have any game of the year, with maybe the exception of The Walking Dead. I do not thing the proceedings will be as bloody as last year when it was between Saint's Row the Third and Skyrim

I personally believe that The Walking Dead, Trials Evolution, Mark of the Ninja, and Journey are all worth being in the discussion for the best game of 2012. There is no reason that the game has to be a $60 retail release. The best game is the best game, regardless of the price tag.

@Sackmanjones said:

I'm just sad that Mass Effect 3 probably won't get the recognition it deserves. Totally understand if it's not their game of the year. Hell even if its not in their top ten but I feel like they are more harsh on that game than it deserves. I know people don't like the ending but overall I think it's an excellent game. It will most definitely be in my top ten this year

Agree with this.

Hoping Dust and Mark of the Ninja both get some love this year as well. There are two games I am really interested in seeing how they handle in terms of GOTY stuff. Assassin Creed 3 and Spec Ops: The Line. AC3 had good critical reaction but didn't seem to draw the "oh my gods" that I think it could of. However from reactions and what I've played seems like a very competent and solid entry into the franchise, specifically gameplay wise. Spec Ops feels like a polar opposite to AC3 in how it ended up. Very little serious hype or media behind it and the game itself ended up being a meh or a stinker gameplay wise. Generic third person shooter. But the story stuff seems to be groundbreaking enough to get everyone talking about it. So I'm eager to see how the Bombcrew handles this stuff.

I thought Walking Dead was rubbish, but that was purely from a gameplay perspective. The first episode was all I could take before I moved on.

I see the story is an accoutrement to playing, not the other way round.

Personally, I've been hearing great things about Far Cry 3. Sleeping Dogs is a surprisingly good game so far, I think it has a fair shot (and deserves it). I'd also like to say XCOM has a chance, but man it's bugged - I couldn't finish my campaign due to a bug actually. Journey, Fez, and Hotline Miami were all kind of weak. I understand some people like that kind of thing, but objectively I just didn't think they were very good games.

@DrDarkStryfe said:

There is no reason that the game has to be a $60 retail release. The best game is the best game, regardless of the price tag.

You've just opened the gates for Asura's Wrath to be Game Of The Year :)

As regards little guys vs. big guns, I'll echo, in brief, what I said in another thread: there is precedent for indie games "underachieving" in GOTY considerations, as it's easy to be seduced by the ambitious big-budget AAA game that usually sits atop the GOTY lists (my examples are Shadow Complex in 2009 - lost to Uncharted 2, despite Jeff not really liking UC2 - and Bastion in 2011 - lost to Skyrim despite Jeff and Ryan not really playing it). That said, if an indie game was going to take the GOTY nod, it would be 2012, considering the relative drought of highly acclaimed AAA games and the proliferation of indie critical darlings. So TWD has a good chance, but I will not be at all surprised if it's a first runner-up behind a AAA game like XCOM (can we actually call that a AAA game? I don't remember seeing an ad for XCOM), Diablo III, or Dishonored.

As regards the bias towards games released in the latter part of the year, I think that this is definitely an issue in GOTY voting, and the game that I think is going to suffer most from it is Journey. That game is absolutely incredible, and while so many are beating the drum for TWD being the standard bearer for an independent game winning GOTY, Journey was discussed with pretty much the same level of reverence - it just was unfortunate that those conversations were happening in March, not November. The release of TWD's final episode could not be better timed in this sense, although that game is also probably helped by being episodic, meaning that it engaged people's minds over the course of several months. I also think that Journey should be the frontrunner for soundtrack of the year - maybe it's just my personal taste in music being the issue, but I don't think anyone is going to remember Hotline Miami and/or it's repetitive obnoxious soundtrack in five years time, whereas the Journey's beautiful soundtrack will stick with me for a long, long time.

As @Animasta pointed out, Crusader Kings II is the game I am backing as the GOTY at this time: I am just about to beat Dishonored (it's good, but it won't top CKII), and I own but have yet to play TWD, Darksiders II, The Darkness II, Mark of the Ninja, and Forza Horizon. I started writing about why CKII is the game I'm backing, but it turned into a wall of text, so I will spare you all that. If you're interested, check my blog.

How are people are not talking about Crusader Kings 2? IMO it's between that and XCOM for game of the year.

I know that's not how it's supposed to work but i just can't help comparing my favorite games this year to my favorite games of years past.

If i was to pick my personal GOTY and runner up of every year since this generation started (that's 14 games according to my calculations), only Journey could crack the top 10 and certainly not the top 5. 2012 was not a good year for me.

That said like a lot of other people i think it's gonna go down between TWD, XCOM and Journey.

Everyone in the crew seems to like all of these games except for Jeff's opinion of TWD which we haven't heard yet. My intuition tells me Jeff won't care for TWD.

Jeff will support XCOM and Journey and push for XCOM at the end because he really won't care for TWD.

Brad will be evenly split between TWD and Journey but will end up backing TWD when it becomes clear Journey won't take the crown. I mean it's Brad so i suppose he could argue for hours upon hours for Journey but he also seem to like TWD just as much so he wouldn't bother.

Vinny would really want Sleeping Dogs but he also doesn't like to make trouble so will back TWD because i think he genuinely likes it better than XCOM.

If Patrick didn't get married this year he would marry TWD.

Ryan will pretend to be pro XCOM at first to give the impression that there's gonna be an actual debate but will flip side on a dime like last year to end this quickly and vote TWD because Fuck Ryan Davis.

Of course all this only goes as long as Jeff actually dislikes TWD. If he likes it, even if it's not his favorite then it's gonna be a short deliberation.

Also Alex probably won't be part of the bombcast but his opinion probably matters a lot this year. He's been the most active among the staff this year when it comes to reviews and he already said his GOTY was TWD on twitter.

I don't see any of those big games winning. It was a year for the smaller games. A lot of big sequels were disappointing.

I think Far Cry 3 looks pretty good and is going to throw everyone's established GOTY predictions for a loop. Maybe it won't win but it could definitely break into the top 10, that's my crazy prediction