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[castlemadeofsand]

I think nintendo has found a good course lately, which basically breaks down to: tons of fresh, new and diverse gameplay mechanics in an enviroment that is pumped with nostalgia.
personally, I think that is exactly how nintendo should make games today.
they pulled this off with the galaxies, mario 3d land/world and ALBW and I am very pleased with this.
they should go this way with all their franchises.

absolutely this. quality is quality, id rather have new pumped with nostalgia, than just new

 

[Ricky 7]

I like the reason they used for choosing it as GOTY which was: because it was fun. =3

 

[Ysiadmihi]

Freshness is completely pointless next to how fun a game is. It could have been a full on remake of LttP instead and nobody should be faulted for having the most fun with it all year.

 

[Sulik2]

Its a great game. Well deserving. Glad to see Path of Exile get a mention too.

 

[canedaddy]

Did Sideway: New York get any GOTY love from them in 2011?

 

[Maxrunner]

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.

Uninteresting is really the word that i would describe GTAV regarding it's appeal...hey look im stealing cars, picking girls, and shooting cops while delivering drugs to some hot shot guy.....im soo cool....
i hope this not the message that gamers want 2013 to represent like Sectorseven hopes....
Thank god there's The Last of Us, Mario, Zelda and Tearaway....

 

[shamanick]

Freshness is completely pointless next to how fun a game is. It could have been a full on remake of LttP instead and nobody should be faulted for having the most fun with it all year.

I would argue that fun isn't the only metric for a GOTY choice. I'm also fully aware that this view isn't shared by everyone.

 

[Train of Midnight]

Wow, Zelda coming from way out of the eastern field to take GOTY. Never saw that coming. Pleasantly surprised, though! Someone needs to come by and clean up all this salt, though. Hoo boy.

Dota would be my pick, but I'm just glad they deigned to notice it >_<

 

[phanphare]

In the year when The Last of Us was released? As someone who has played through both to 100% completion, it is definitely a controversial choice to me.

One is a step forward for storytelling in our medium, while the other is the definition of a retread. I enjoyed both games but there's no doubt in my mind which is more deserving of accolades. But I digress - I regret even posting in this thread because I usually just ignore reviews and awards. It just disappoints me to see such an original and amazing game get snubbed over nostalgia.

I imagine these types of posts will be in abundance for every website that picks a game other than TLoU

and why does TLoU not winning mean it was snubbed? it was obviously high up on their list seeing as how it was a nominee for GotY. just because it didn't win doesn't mean gamespot is calling the game shit now

 

[Maxrunner]

HAHAHAHAHA! Smoky Dave? A Nintendo fanboy?

Actually, i was being ironic...but hey.....now i've said it....

 

[watershed]

The problem with Zelda winning GOTY is it doesn't provide any social commentary.

Nintendo's entire philosophy is to create games that temporarily draw you away from reality. Games that are essentially created in a vacuum. That's a perfectly fine sort of game to enjoy, and it's possibly why their franchises have aged so well, but they're so abstract nothing can really be gleaned from them.

There's no incite. The player isn't changed by the experience. You turn the game off and move on with your life. You won't hop on the subway and see an elf. You will see GTA 5's Trevor, but you won't understand him.

If in 50 years someone want's to get a feel for what gaming (and life) in 2013 was like, is Zelda really the best example?

There are a lot of crazy comments in this thread but is this one serious? Do you honestly believe that a criterion for game of the year is that the game must include social commentary or that it must give an idea of what "gaming (and life) in 2013 was like"? These are the oddest criteria for GotY I have ever seen. A great game is a great game. It doesn't have to say anything about anyone's society (there are more than 1 in the world) or anything about gaming as a whole.

 

[Fey]

Whoa o_o

I liked LBW, and I'm happy a handheld game is getting GOTY recognition for once, but I personally didn't think LBW was that great.

 

[KillerDark]

I'm honestly surprised, figured they would go with TLOU or GTAV

 

[VICI0US]

Great to see a handheld game win GOTY for once. they're so often relegated to the sidelines at these major gaming outlets.

 

[Mockingbird]

Wow. Never would've bet on that. Awesome.

 

[Frillen]

Literally the last game on that list I'd have picked.

Literally the most shocking post of the thread. Keep the salt coming. Your damage control in the latter posts were comedy central as well.

 

[grosvenor_92]

Definitely didn't expect it to win but good job Nintendo

 

[Maxrunner]

Great to see a handheld game win GOTY for once. they're so often relegated to the sidelines at these major gaming outlets.

And dare i say it will the only publication giving the major award to a Nintendo game....

 

[DrWong]

Ah ah ah! This thread delivers in the non sensical spinning exercise of what a GOTY should or shouldn't be.

 

[Commanche Raisin Toast]

Don't most goty winners release in the latter portion of the year?

Makes you wonder if TLoU would have won had it come out more recently, or if gtav had released earlier in the year. Just a thought.

Makes me happy to see Tearaway nominated.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

I wonder if Tom McShea is chewing his tongue out for a LoZ game winning GOTY, especially one that is based on the series' formulaic conventions (but now in eye-lacerating 3D!).

I don't agree with the choice, but it's not a bad one.

 

[faridmon]

Wow, I am actually really shocked. I approve of this!

Spoiler

Team Handheld

 

[Majestad]

I can think of about 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 games this year that are fresher than ALBW.

Start naming them. Now.

 

[RamsesA]

Excellent choice. I give my full approval.

TLoZ: ALBW is well paced, well polished, and well executed all around. It's also very fun. The puzzles could have been a bit more challenging, but that didn't prevent my enjoyment very much, while harder dungeons might have irritated others. I don't foresee it becoming dated any time soon.

I would have supported SM3DW for the same reason, but I think I still prefer ALBW.

 

[SoraanTribal]

While it isn't my personal GOTY, it's way up there, so I'm okay with this choice. It's an awesome game.

 

[Antiwhippy]

I can't imagine how anyone thinks Zelda is better than Fire Emblem, but to each their own. Not really surprising coming from Gamespot. They tend to go with the more "random" games for winners.

While I loved it, as a strategy game it is flawed and too easily broken, making the combat nearly inconsequential on latter stages, even in lunatic. Which is pretty much because of one class.

 

[metalslimer]

You know that's pretty awesome.

 

[Frillen]

As for the Last of Us vs GTA V fight. I genuinely don't care who wins, as both of those games lived up to my expectation, times two.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

- Path of Exile (PC)

Holy shit, Gamespot just won my heart.

 

[Revolutionary]

I had play both and the choice doesn't bother me. I don't think LoU is amazing.. Good game tho. I enjoyed it

Fair enough.

I imagine these types of posts will be in abundance for every website that picks a game other than TLoU

and why does TLoU not winning mean it was snubbed? it was obviously high up on their list seeing as how it was a nominee for GotY. just because it didn't win doesn't mean gamespot is calling the game shit now

Snubbed is a general term used when something/someone is undoubtedly deserving of an award, but leaves empty handed. Like if Bryan Cranston was up for an award against that dude from Big Bang Theory, and lost.

 

[Psycho_Mantis]

Guys you can't argue with opinion. Gamespots GOTY is Zelda. You can have a different one. I don't see what the argument here is about when pretty much every game on that list are examples of great games or least were critically acclaimed by the reviewers.

 

[Levyne]

I don't approve, Gamespot should have consulted me before embarrassing themselves with this selection.

 

[dcx4610]

Robbery for TLoU.

Gamespot is just trying to get attention and it worked.

 

[Majestad]

I'll take a stab in the dark and say that ALBW doesn't have this great level design or great gameplay that it's being praised for, just like the majority of modern Nintendo games that get lauded for both.



It shouldn't be hard for a game to be better than Awakening. The only 2013 game I played that isn't is LM2.

I'll take a stab in the dark and say that you haven't played the game, therefore making this accusation is really idiotic.

 

[dragonfart28]

Wait, it's not TLoU???

Respect for Gamespot +1

 

[afoni]

Gamespot is just trying to get attention and it worked.

So are you.

 

[JoeInky]

It's a good game but it's not my GOTY personally, it's definitely better than the likes of TLoU, I think that game was just average, but the GOTY is obviously

Spoiler

DotA 2

 

[GulAtiCa]

Good choice. I agree.

 

[Ysiadmihi]

Guys you can't argue with opinion. Gamespots GOTY is Zelda. You can have a different one. I don't see what the argument here is about when pretty much every game on that list are examples of great games or least were critically acclaimed by the reviewers.

Sony fanboyism is disturbingly strong these days. Sadly, I feel like it's only going to get worse in the coming years.

 

[Matt Attack]

I'm shocked, in a good way. It's my current GOTY as well (although I'm still waiting to finish Tearaway and play SM3DW so I'm reserving judgement). Wow.

 

[whoszed]

Well they gave TLoU 8.0 so no surprise it wasn't that or GTAV which also didn't get a super high score. I don't really care who won but if they didn't even nominate TLoU that's when I'd be baffled.

 

[jgmo870]

I'll take a stab in the dark and say that you haven't played the game, therefore making this accusation is really idiotic.

If I had played the game, I wouldn't be taking a stab in the dark - I'd be basing my opinion on experience with the game.

Logical leaps should be taken sometime.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

Robbery for TLoU.

Gamespot is just trying to get attention and it worked.

It's not the first time. They revel in being the disagreeable reviews (look no further than Tom McShea and his 5 for Bioshock Infinite and 7.5 and 8.8 for Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword, respectively).

 

[Auskeek]

Well the Youtube thumbs down certainly disagree. I'm really surprised, I mean ALBW was my personal Game of the Year but I didn't expect Gamespot to choose it.

 

[ASIS]

I wonder if Tom McShea is chewing his tongue out for a LoZ game winning GOTY, especially one that is based on the series' formulaic conventions (but now in eye-lacerating 3D!).

I don't agree with the choice, but it's not a bad one.

What formula are you talking about exactly? Cause ALBW shook a lot of things up.

 

[Train of Midnight]

So are you.

Well played

 

[gngf123]

Massive respect for them just for remembering that handhelds exist.

ALBW is a very good winner, the outrage is fucking stupid.

 

[Majestad]

If I had played the game, I wouldn't be taking a stab in the dark - I'd be basing my opinion on experience with the game.

Logical leaps should be taken sometime.

Then play it instead of making silly assumptions.

 

[Fey]

oh my god I'm reading through the thread

I wonder how many people here actually played Link Between Worlds.

 

[jgmo870]

Then play it instead of making silly assumptions.

I'm going to play it once I find it cheap enough. Because history taught me these overpraised games have never been worth their full price.