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[metalslimer]

So that disqualifies almost everyone on this thread correct? And most journos as well since they pretty much suck at their jobs according to GAF?

I don't think anyone should be critical of a GotY choice they haven't played. It's fine to think something else was the best game you personally played though.

 

[Coffee Dog]

You are being obtuse to try and make my opinion invalid. If you put the tiniest bit of thought into your question instead of turning it into an attack you'd have your answer. I don't have to tell you what those games do because you know what they do.

Hahaha, what is this? All I asked was what those games had that made them new experiences. That's not being obtuse. I am simply asking why you feel the way you do about those games.

I am sorry for assuming that you wanted to explain your position on a discussion board.

 

[Owensboro]

...Why are people mad about this? It's a great game isn't it?

"What kills me is the thought that people not knowing what Game of the Year is might go and buy a video game and like it. They might like something else. And that drives me insane." - Kyle Bosman

 

[spandario]

To me, A Link Between Worlds is the freshest Zelda game in years. Not that I don't have some issues with it, but I felt they made an honest effort to try something new with how items and dungeons were handled.

Freshest as in it doesn't feel like it was designed 10 years ago. That isn't a great reason to give a game GOTY. Nintendo putting forth a tiny bit of effort instead of putting "Zelda Link to the NEW Past" isn't worthy of GOTY. Its like yeah you realized you need to make some changes but didn't have the stones to go through with it. The only way this makes any sense is if they picked it to show Nintendo what they need to do going forward.

 

[MoogleWizard]

Things like Gone Home, Bioshock, Animal Crossing are much higher up on my list. I play a lot of games late so Spelunky and Persona 4 Golden are there too. But I don't think Nintendo should win GOTY for making another Zelda game that basically apes the old games save for a few small revisions. I've played Zelda before many times, I think this is a case of the game coming out late and being fresh in their heads combined with a bit of nostalgia.

Great game design is great game design. It has nothing to do with nostalgia. Reskin ALBW with different characters, monsters etc. and it would still be a great game. Trying to dismiss a game because it belongs to an old IP is really lazy. How about you actually list some flaws of the game instead, which make it undeserving of being GOTY?

 

[Tohsaka]

I agree with them, it really is a great game.

 

[gastricacid]

GTAV isn't an "art game" in the eyes of the press. TLOU is both a AAA blockbuster and one of those precious "artistic experiences" that they crave. It's perfect GOTY choice material for them.

Not everyone who plays tlou is going to get that "artistic experience" that you're trying to convince everyone it has. I played both tlou and gta 5, but had more fun and enjoyment with gta than tlou. So it's all subjective.

 

[RealDeadOne]

Really bold move by GameSpot here.
This game had everything against it: Japanese, colorful graphics, Nintendo, handheld game, and no guns, yet GS stuck to their guns and chose it anyway.

I don't necessarily agree with them, but I'm so glad they had the balls to pick the game they thought was the best regardless of what "type" of game it was.

 

[Mariolee]

"What kills me is the thought that people not knowing what Game of the Year is might go and buy a video game and like it. They might like something else. And that drives me insane." - Kyle Bosman

"So we judge these games by the criteria of frame rate, resolution, gunplay, and number of dungeons!"

 

[perfectsil]

So that disqualifies almost everyone on this thread correct? And most journos as well since they pretty much suck at their jobs according to GAF?

you think there's that few people that have PC/WiiU/PS3/3DS? I do.

 

[Gaf_SentMe]

Freshest as in it doesn't feel like it was designed 10 years ago. That isn't a great reason to give a game GOTY. Nintendo putting forth a tiny bit of effort instead of putting "Zelda Link to the NEW Past" isn't worthy of GOTY. Its like yeah you realized you need to make some changes but didn't have the stones to go through with it. The only way this makes any sense is if they picked it to show Nintendo what they need to do going forward.

.

Stop making sense brah.

 

[Trago]

No, it's a great Nintendo game.

Ergo, totally sux.

Is that what it is? I agree with all of the nominations. I would have been happy if any of those games won.

But because it's a Nintendo game? What, is there bias against them or something? I thought they make pretty cool games.

I'm confused. I thought we were supposed to like good games.

 

[GillianSeed79]

How The Hell Is GTA5 or Arckam Origins COD GHOSTS NOT GOTY

Arckam Origins COD GHOSTS sounds like the sequel to Dudebro My shit is fucked up so I got to shoot/slice you II: It's Straight up Dawg Time.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Really bold move by GameSpot here.
This game had everything against it: Japanese, colorful graphics, Nintendo, handheld game, and no guns, yet GS stuck to their guns and chose it anyway.

I don't necessarily agree with them, but I'm so glad they had the balls to pick the game they thought was the best regardless of what "type" of game it was.

This really is a shootbang-crazy industry.

 

[Majestad]

.

Stop making sense brah.

Stop dickriding him ffs!

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Is that what it is? I agree with all of the nominations. I would have been happy if any of those games won.

But because it's a Nintendo game? What, is there bias against them or something? I thought they make pretty cool games.

I'm confused. I thought we were supposed to like good games.

Oh, they make fantastic games. But you look at all the myriad Nintendo-related threads these days, and I think it's pretty clear there's a bias against them.

 

[Neiteio]

RE: nostalgia, I don't even like ALttP, but I adore ALBW.

So no, it's NOT nostalgia. It's a combination of:

- pitch-perfect pacing
- well-honed mechanics
- intricate craftsmanship
- extraordinarily clever design
- no hand-holding and no filler
- top-shelf tech performance (60 fps in stereo 3D!)

...that make ALBW such an amazing game

 

[perfectsil]

sorry double post

 

[spandario]

...Why are people mad about this? It's a great game isn't it?

I'm not mad about the game, what I don't like is Nintendo getting this award. This is one of the first times they've acknowledged that maybe they should make some mechanical changes. That maybe the people who grew up with the SNES don't want to play the exact same game over and over. If it were any other company or any other brand no one would be impressed they changed a few things. This is rewarding Nintendo for finally noticing the world around them.

 

[Gaf_SentMe]

you think there's that few people that have PC/WiiU/PS3/3DS? I do.

Dude. Not many have all those consoles, let alone play enough games to spread across all genres. For instance, you won't find many who played both Zelda and Go Home.

 

[Clockwork5]

Freshest as in it doesn't feel like it was designed 10 years ago. That isn't a great reason to give a game GOTY. Nintendo putting forth a tiny bit of effort instead of putting "Zelda Link to the NEW Past" isn't worthy of GOTY. Its like yeah you realized you need to make some changes but didn't have the stones to go through with it. The only way this makes any sense is if they picked it to show Nintendo what they need to do going forward.

Or you could simply refrain from projecting your skewed thought process onto the gamespot staff and realize that they felt that a fresh approach to Zelda produced the best, most enjoyable game THIS year.

I happen to agree with them, you do not...

 

[nordique]

I wouldn't have agreed with gamespot

But the then I played this game.


Def my GotY. It's fantastic and just keeps getting better and better.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

I'm not mad about the game, what I don't like is Nintendo getting this award. This is one of the first times they've acknowledged that maybe they should make some mechanical changes. That maybe the people who grew up with the SNES don't want to play the exact same game over and over. If it were any other company or any other brand no one would be impressed they changed a few things. This is rewarding Nintendo for finally noticing the world around them.

Or maybe they're giving Nintendo the award because A) they honestly thought that the game either changed more than "a few things," and/or B) they actually liked the game more than any other game this year.

Crazy to consider, I know.

 

[lem0n]

That's amazing! While my personal GoTY was GTA V, I got Zelda for my girlfriend's birthday a couple days ago and she has been glued to it ever since!

 

[Bel_Air_Jeff]

After reading the comments on Gamespot's website, I have realized that most gamers are completely unintelligent.

These people giving gaming a bad name. Fanboys of all kinds. Most of these comments are from people that probably don't have a 3DS and never played LBW

 

[Psycho_Mantis]

ugh. Where's my TLOU?

Dude TLoU has been winning the most GOTY awards than any other game. Other games getting GOTY is not some kind of taboo.

 

[castlemadeofsand]

No, he was implying that social commentary isn't necessary to be appreciated in an artistic way. However, that doesn't mean that everything that is void of social commentary is now comparable with Jazz. I actually love Nintendo games and think they're the most consistently great brand in video game history. I also, though, hate this attitude that anything that isn't colorful characters hopping on animal heads is a movie and not a game. The definition of a game is evolving and expanding.

actually nintendo is very comparable to jazz. jazz is all about the feeling, and is music at its most fundamental level, its all about playing. the same principals are found in nintendos design philosophy. its all about the core gameplay feeling. they make games that focus on the gameplay feeling good. the core of a game is of course gameplay

edit: oddly enough i just recently played through the galaxy games, but i did so while listening to my herbie hancock pandora station. the two go great together lol

 

[The Boat]

Didn't see that coming from Gamespot. Probably my pick too, but it's hard to choose. Thankfully I don't have to.

 

[TheChaos]

It's getting to be that the only people who get mad about "kiddie" games are kiddies themselves

Obligatory:

 

[Bel_Air_Jeff]

Dude. Not many have all those consoles, let alone play enough games to spread across all genres. For instance, you won't find many who played both Zelda and Go Home.

I did

 

[Trago]

Oh, they make fantastic games. But you look at all the myriad Nintendo-related threads these days, and I think it's pretty clear there's a bias against them.

I'm pretty new to Gaf, but I see what you're talking about. Still though, if it's a great game, should't we be happy that a great game won?

I get that people have different tastes, I'm just confused at all the angry comments. It's a good game after all.

 

[spandario]

Dismissive reduction can go both ways!


Explain to me how Bioshock isn't just more Bioshock, and Anima Crossing isn't just more Animal Crossing?

They change a lot between releases of Animal Crossing and they aren't just remaking a game that came out on the SNES with AC. Sure the base ideas are the same but theres all kinds of new things to do in New Leaf. It still has issues and has tons of room to grow but it doesn't feel like Nintendo mining nostalgia like so many other releases.

 

[Hyperactivity]

I'm not mad about the game, what I don't like is Nintendo getting this award. This is one of the first times they've acknowledged that maybe they should make some mechanical changes. That maybe the people who grew up with the SNES don't want to play the exact same game over and over. If it were any other company or any other brand no one would be impressed they changed a few things. This is rewarding Nintendo for finally noticing the world around them.

I didn't like ALTTP. I love ALBW.

Stop making assumptions. Sometimes, it isn't nostalgia, it's just a great game

 

[Neiteio]

After reading the comments on Gamespot's website, I have realized that most gamers are completely unintelligent.

These people giving gaming a bad name. Fanboys of all kinds. Most of these comments are from people that probably don't have a 3DS and never played LBW

To be fair, a lot of the vitriol toward TLoU is probably from Nintendo fanboys without a PS3 who never played TLoU. Whenever someone says TLoU doesn't have gameplay, that person has absolutely no idea what they're talking about.

But again, ALBW is absolutely deserving of GOTY. I'm nearly positive it will get my vote. TLoU will be second. The hard part is deciding the order of #3-10!

 

[Ansatz]

Things like Gone Home, Bioshock, Animal Crossing are much higher up on my list. I play a lot of games late so Spelunky and Persona 4 Golden are there too. But I don't think Nintendo should win GOTY for making another Zelda game that basically apes the old games save for a few small revisions. I've played Zelda before many times, I think this is a case of the game coming out late and being fresh in their heads combined with a bit of nostalgia.

It's a fresh experience in the same way Galaxy 2 constantly introduces new ideas, even though it follows a format established by the original in terms of structure.

The ability to merge with the walls made me look at overworld exploration from an entirely new perspective. The dungeons are also built around this new mechanic in combination with traditional Zelda items, which creates new possibilities:

Bomb a crystal -> merge with a wall that rotates upon detonation.
Use the hookshot to reach an otherwise unreachable wall -> merge with it before falling down and it'll take you to a new place.

These solutions are a-ha! inducing, because it is an entirely new way to think. That's what ultimately makes a game feel fresh to me.

 

[UF_C]

I'm genuinely surprised by how much recognition GTAV is getting, not that someone would give GotY to Zelda. GTA built a really impressive world and refined the mechanics in some great ways, but fell flat with everything else - the story was bland, most of the characters uninteresting, and the mission design was sometimes boring.

While I agree GTA shouldn't win GOTY, but I disagree regarding your assessment of the game. GTAV is pretty amazing and that includes story, characters, and the majority of missions.

 

[Trago]

I'm not mad about the game, what I don't like is Nintendo getting this award. This is one of the first times they've acknowledged that maybe they should make some mechanical changes. That maybe the people who grew up with the SNES don't want to play the exact same game over and over. If it were any other company or any other brand no one would be impressed they changed a few things. This is rewarding Nintendo for finally noticing the world around them.

But if we can all agree that the game is in fact great, then why not reward the game such a title?

 

[Majestad]

Dude TLoU has been winning the most GOTY awards than any other game. Other games getting GOTY is not some kind of taboo.

As proven by this thread, GS giving a GOTY award holds more value than the dozens of no name websites that have given that distinction to LoU.

 

[andymcc]

They change a lot between releases of Animal Crossing and they aren't just remaking a game that came out on the SNES with AC. Sure the base ideas are the same but theres all kinds of new things to do in New Leaf. It still has issues and has tons of room to grow but it doesn't feel like Nintendo mining nostalgia like so many other releases.

ALBW isn't "just remaking a game" good lord dude.

I didn't like ALTTP. I love ALBW.

Stop making assumptions. Sometimes, it isn't nostalgia, it's just a great game

Same here. I very rarely LOVE a Zelda game and I love ALBW.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

They change a lot between releases of Animal Crossing and they aren't just remaking a game that came out on the SNES with AC. Sure the base ideas are the same but theres all kinds of new things to do in New Leaf. It still has issues and has tons of room to grow but it doesn't feel like Nintendo mining nostalgia like so many other releases.

okay, now which game are they just remaking that came out on the snes

hint: it is not zelda

 

[ffdgh]

I'm ok with this.

 

[The Boat]

I'm not mad about the game, what I don't like is Nintendo getting this award. This is one of the first times they've acknowledged that maybe they should make some mechanical changes. That maybe the people who grew up with the SNES don't want to play the exact same game over and over. If it were any other company or any other brand no one would be impressed they changed a few things. This is rewarding Nintendo for finally noticing the world around them.

So, not only are you completely wrong about Nintendo not having done mechanical changes in the past, you're also saying they shouldn't be awarded for doing something they should be doing, because they should have done it earlier (even though they have). It's a very deep point of view, lots of layers.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

They change a lot between releases of Animal Crossing and they aren't just remaking a game that came out on the SNES with AC. Sure the base ideas are the same but theres all kinds of new things to do in New Leaf.

And Zelda doesn't change things between releases? Outside of the broadest of strokes, WW does not play, look, or feel like TP, which is definitely not SS, which is pretty different from the DS games, which don't play much like The Minish Cap. They're pretty different video games.

 

[spandario]

Or maybe they're giving Nintendo the award because A) they honestly thought that the game either changed more than "a few things," and/or B) they actually liked the game more than any other game this year.

Crazy to consider, I know.

Its possible, I never said it wasn't. I think if this game came out in March it wouldn't even be in the top 5. Proximity of release to GOTY deliberations causes things like this to happen. But this is barely about GOTY for me. Hence my first comment.

The main point here is I'm tired of Nintendo making the same games over and over again. I want a new IP, I want to see what Nintendo can do when they aren't afraid. Everything they've been releasing is pretty safe. Nintendo will put "New", "U", "Luigi" on anything they can to basically make the same game but with some new paint.

 

[Zemm]

Jeez, I wonder why

 

[LegendX48]

Did not expect this, at all. Well deserved, ALBW and TLOU are my two top/favorite games of 2013

 

[Rich!]

They change a lot between releases of Animal Crossing and they aren't just remaking a game that came out on the SNES with AC. Sure the base ideas are the same but theres all kinds of new things to do in New Leaf. It still has issues and has tons of room to grow but it doesn't feel like Nintendo mining nostalgia like so many other releases.

...

I'm not even going to bother telling you to do your research, you obviously cannot be fucked. It's not a goddamn remake, fucking hell.

 

[VARIA]

The meltdowns are hilarious.

I think the award is very well deserved and it is great that handheld gaming was acknowledged.

 

[Rich!]

Its possible, I never said it wasn't. I think if this game came out in March it wouldn't even be in the top 5. Proximity of release to GOTY deliberations causes things like this to happen. But this is barely about GOTY for me. Hence my first comment.

The main point here is I'm tired of Nintendo making the same games over and over again. I want a new IP, I want to see what Nintendo can do when they aren't afraid. Everything they've been releasing is pretty safe. Nintendo will put "New", "U", "Luigi" on anything they can to basically make the same game but with some new paint.

Dude. You haven't even played the game, have you?

It's not a remake of LTTP, get your facts straight. Secondly, it's the biggest shake up in Zelda formula for over a decade. Thirdly, do some goddamn research before saying plain mis-truths that completely render your posts as laughable.

 

[Uno Venova]

This and all the mentions in the game of the year voting thread make me all the more excited to play it.

what? are you fuckin serious now?? like seriously??? wow fuckin idiots fucks you ass hats retards fuckin dipshit fucks fuck fuck fuck

Lets introduce the best super fastest car in 2013 not a lambo not a ferraie BUTTTTTT waiittt for ittttt A BICYCLE!!