Support NeoGAF

[RDreamer]

Ending was definitely the lowest point of the story. Felt very half-assed and anti-climatic. Didn't help that the game felt like it should've ended roughly 5-10 hours before it did.

Hah, if you want anticlimactic, you should read all 7 of the books. I loved them all to death but the ending definitely felt like "fuck it, this needs to end."

I actually liked my ending of the game and felt it nicely wrapped up the game, the game series, and the books pretty well.

 

[Majestad]

good game outside of the shitty ending.

Wut? I loved the ending I got.

Spoiler

Witcher Ciri and Geralt and Yen live happy ever after

 

[Card Boy]

You heard it here first, people: align to popular consensus or else you're wrong.

Glad we agree GTA4 is shit.

 

[Yopis]

Amazing game well deserved.

 

[toastyToast]

What's hilarious is thinking how many more GOTY awards it would have won if it hadn't been for the ending.

People have gone to great lengths to describe their issues with ME3 outside of the ending. I didn't even make it there I disliked it that much. I did get my money's worth out of the multiplayer though.

 

[Ascenion]

Hah, if you want anticlimactic, you should read all 7 of the books. I loved them all to death but the ending definitely felt like "fuck it, this needs to end."

I actually liked my ending of the game and felt it nicely wrapped up the game, the game series, and the books pretty well.

I guess for me when I say ending I mean act 3. Act 3 as a whole was awful. It felt like tying up loose ends for the sake of tying up loose ends while dragging out a conflict that should've been over, but felt rushed at the same time. The sense of urgency, if it was ever present outside of act 1, has been gone for a while now and the villains fall super duper flat, flat to the point the question who the fuck are you becomes relevant during the penultimate conflict. I've never had a game drop the ball like that before after being damn near flawless.

 

[Astral Dog]

But Bloodborne

At least Bayonetta 2 won last year

 

[we.are.the.armada]

damn did anybody else think that geralt looked potbellied in all that dumpy looking armor?

I'd be like loving the game so hard but then see potbelly geralt looking all droopy like what is that a fake pregnant rubber belly under there plow that

 

[Zolo]

People have gone to great lengths to describe their issues with ME3 outside of the ending. I didn't even make it there I disliked it that much. I did get my money's worth out of the multiplayer though.

It's not that ME3 didn't have more issues, but I think more sites would have glossed over them more like with Inquisition.

 

[Daingurse]

damn did anybody else think that geralt looked potbellied in all that dumpy looking armor?

I'd be like loving the game so hard but then see potbelly geralt looking all droopy like what is that a fake pregnant rubber belly under there plow that

I loved the Griffin armor, so yeah didn't bother me.

 

[Already Torn]

This game doesn't have a Field of View slider right? I just realized that might be the reason playing this game makes me want to vomit the entire time

 

[Psychoward]

People have gone to great lengths to describe their issues with ME3 outside of the ending. I didn't even make it there I disliked it that much. I did get my money's worth out of the multiplayer though.

I don't understand how you can like ME2 and not at least get to the end of me3. ME3 improved a lot from 2 and the biggest flaw outside of the ending was Kai Leng.

 

[nib95]

An absolute masterpiece. People will still talk and remember The Witcher 3 fondly for years to come. Congrats CDPR!

NeoGAF is gonna look kinda funny if Witcher 3 doesn't win considering it has demolished everything else in critics and people's choices.

Well, Bayonetta 2 won GAF's GOTY last year. I prefer that we look beyond meagre popularity. That's not to say Witcher 3 doesn't deserve it, but we certainly shouldn't be influenced by what the masses are voting.

 

[EthanC]

Well, Bayonetta 2 won GAF's GOTY last year. I prefer that we look beyond meagre popularity. That's not to say Witcher 3 doesn't deserve it, but we certainly shouldn't be influenced by what the masses are voting.

As if we're not a part of the masses? If it's popular, it's popular here too. Just look at the response to Destiny, Star Wars etc etc here. It's no different than everywhere else.

 

[johnnydrama]

Vex Crone are you okay? Respond if you're okay.

 

[Fahzgoolin]

Perplexed that this game is winning so many GOTY's when most people agree the combat isn't very good or all that challenging. It's gorgeous, has interesting characters, a good plot, and good side questing apart from the main plot.

But the gameplay is lacking.

Then I hear many say it's "one of the best games I have ever played."

Am I the only one perplexed by this?

 

[Already Torn]

As if we're not a part of the masses? If it's popular, it's popular here too. Just look at the response to Destiny, Star Wars etc etc here. It's no different than everywhere else.

I think it's safe to say GAF's tastes are different than most of the internet's. For example GameFAQs voted Undertale the best game of all time but it probably won't win game of the year here, and GameFAQs is wayy bigger than GAF in terms of posting population.

Plus GT gave it to Bloodborne and they're the coolest.

 

[EthanC]

I think it's safe to say GAF's tastes are different than most of the internet's. For example GameFAQs voted Undertale the best game of all time but it probably won't win game of the year here, and GameFAQs is wayy bigger than GAF in terms of posting population.

Plus GT gave it to Bloodborne and they're the coolest.

How is picking Bloodborne different than most of the Internet? It's hugely popular at any site that features console gaming.

 

[Already Torn]

How is picking Bloodborne different than most of the Internet? It's hugely popular at any site that features console gaming.

Apparently it's embarrassing to pick Bloodborne because everyone else is picking Witcher 3. That's what started this little comment thread.

 

[Lingitiz]

Perplexed that this game is winning so many GOTY's when most people agree the combat isn't very good or all that challenging. It's gorgeous, has interesting characters, a good plot, and good side questing apart from the main plot.

But the gameplay is lacking.

Then I hear many say it's "one of the best games I have ever played."

Am I the only one perplexed by this?

There are a lot of people that like the combat (like me). It's not perfect but I think there's a nice flavor to it with a solid amount of build variety. I've gone through the game 2 1/2 times now and I feel like my style has been drastically different in each.

Aside from that, gameplay encompasses more than just combat. It can be quest design, the structure of choice and consequence in dialogue, the situations you get thrown into, etc. Some people may dislike the combat mechanics but first and foremost this is an RPG. You spend much of the game in conversation with other people. And those conversations are some of the best in the medium. There are few games this large and expansive with the kind of production value (extensive voice acting, well animated/designed characters, etc) and attention to detail in nearly every quest in the game.

 

[Crossing Eden]

Perplexed that this game is winning so many GOTY's when most people agree the combat isn't very good or all that challenging. It's gorgeous, has interesting characters, a good plot, and good side questing apart from the main plot.

But the gameplay is lacking.

Then I hear many say it's "one of the best games I have ever played."

Am I the only one perplexed by this?

Combat isn't the only aspect of gameplay and a subset of GAF doesn't=most people.

 

[Hypron]

Combat isn't the only aspect of gameplay and a subset of GAF doesn't=most people.

Yeah. For one I appreciate the combat. It's not the greatest but it's enjoyable (and it totally is challenging in Death March). And the game offers much more than that. I don't recall being that absorbed by a game and caring that much about the characters in a long time. The dialogue and the decision making that make that possible are gameplay too. Just because you ain't killing something doesn't mean it's not gameplay.

Then you have the exploration, character building, the whole crafting and alchemy system and the planning that goes into preparing for fights — that stuff is gameplay too and it's fun. Then you've got Gwent, which is pretty damn popular among fans of the game (for good reason, it's great). I would be surprised if combat took up more
than 25% of my playtime so far, really. I easily spent more time talking to people, while exploring the world is what took up most of my time.

Some people are too fixated on combat to the point where it's the only thing that seems to matter to them.

 

[Dark_castle]

One of the few things I like more than The Witcher 3 is people getting legitimately buttfrustrated about it winning arbitrary GOTY awards over [insert favourite software].

I see what you did there.

 

[EatChildren]

Perplexed that this game is winning so many GOTY's when most people agree the combat isn't very good or all that challenging. It's gorgeous, has interesting characters, a good plot, and good side questing apart from the main plot.

But the gameplay is lacking.

Then I hear many say it's "one of the best games I have ever played."

Am I the only one perplexed by this?

"Gameplay" constitutes as the entire process of interacting with a virtual environment and all the components including but not limited to game systems, aesthetics, presentation, audio, controls, level design, game system balance, framerate, writing, voice performances, and so on.

People enjoy "playing" The Witcher 3 because they enjoyed interacting with it.

 

[toastyToast]

I don't understand how you can like ME2 and not at least get to the end of me3. ME3 improved a lot from 2 and the biggest flaw outside of the ending was Kai Leng.

I couldn't take that it was essentially the same setup as the last couple games despite the world ending threat you'd been talking about finally arriving. I thought I was done doing errands. My expectation was the game would be a series of skirmishes and battlefronts an already united force would be fighting against. I gotta run around solving people's problems again? No thank you. Then there's the tone. Holy fuck. It was so horribly, unashamedly melodramatic. The vent kid being one of the most drunkenly conceived efforts to make me give a fuck about something I've witnessed in my entire gaming career. Once I got to that dream that Shepherd has where he's running around in a forest traumatized over that one little fucker I quit.

I did get to enjoy the gameplay improvements in the MP so all wasn't lost.

 

[SpideySenses]

Can't help but think people are moving the goalposts when it comes to Witcher's combat, these types of games have so many different moving parts, I don't remember people requiring not only best in genre but overall gameplay from similar titles. Using that criteria only the Souls games should be considered for GOTY, even though those games are lacking in more significant ways compared to jack of all trades RPGs like this, Bioware and Bethesda titles.

 

[spekkeh]

Ending was definitely the lowest point of the story. Felt very half-assed and anti-climatic. Didn't help that the game felt like it should've ended roughly 5-10 hours before it did.

I don't get this point of view. The last 5-10 hours with the elves and onwards is when stuff actually started happening. Up till that point it was two loooong acts of carrot on a stick bullshit. If anything the ending was too short, seeing as nothing important happens in the previous fifty hours.

 

[Fishook]

I just think the story and side quests are just leaps and bounds over most modern games, and I when I play a game I want to be entertained like a good book or film.

Never tried Dark Souls/Bloodborne as I do not have the time these days to be frustrated playing a game, or being being dragged down with Radiant quests or grinding. I just found that a lot of side or additional quests were far better than most RPG's.

Playing Fallout 4 at the moments, it just seems like it more geared to crafting and buliding settlements, with a few decent quests thrown in. I just enjoy stories and doing quests rather than new game plus and farming for gear and such but that's just me, But I have never been the one for mods or just messing around in games I like like structure when playing games.

One of the few games after 100 hour of games it never felt a drag but I supposed the cut scenes and story always felt you were progressing. It ticked so many boxes for me as a gamer, but I can understand its not everybody's cup of tea.

 

[EatChildren]

 

[Acquiescence]

An absolute masterpiece. People will still talk and remember The Witcher 3 fondly for years to come. Congrats CDPR!

NeoGAF is gonna look kinda funny if Witcher 3 doesn't win considering it has demolished everything else in critics and people's choices.

Just how NeoGAF looked real funny when Bayonetta 2 won GOTY last year, even though it was Dragon Age: Inquisition picking up all the media awards. Let me take a wild guess as to what you elected as your favourite game last year in the voting thread.

Your post reeks of salt at the prospect that Bloodborne may win NeoGAF's GOTY 2015. What's the issue exactly, that it's a PlayStation exclusive?

 

[RespectThySole]

Perplexed that this game is winning so many GOTY's when most people agree the combat isn't very good or all that challenging. It's gorgeous, has interesting characters, a good plot, and good side questing apart from the main plot.

But the gameplay is lacking.

Then I hear many say it's "one of the best games I have ever played."

Am I the only one perplexed by this?

1. Combat is not the only form of gameplay

2. Vocal minority on GAF does not equal most people

The Witcher 3 is my favorite game this year because I enjoyed "playing" it more than anything else.

Edit: Beaten

 

[poet at play]

the gameplay is lacking.

Then I hear many say it's "one of the best games I have ever played."

Am I the only one perplexed by this?

It seems you're perplexed because you don't understand the subjectiveness of the medium.

 

[IKizzLE]

Perplexed that this game is winning so many GOTY's when most people agree the combat isn't very good or all that challenging. It's gorgeous, has interesting characters, a good plot, and good side questing apart from the main plot.

But the gameplay is lacking.

Then I hear many say it's "one of the best games I have ever played."

Am I the only one perplexed by this?

I thought the gameplay was better than Metal Gear Solid V's.
The controls is what needed work. But the scenarios your put in, the diversity of the environments, enemies, mission structure and type and how you have to prepare for more challenging battles all constitute for 'gameplay' and were all top notch, more so than any other game in 2015.

 

[Fantastapotamus]

It's by far one of the best games I've played in years and probably the best non cRPG RPG ever (for me)

 

[Nestunt]

Open World and great story?

breakthrough in game design

 

[Taruranto]

There are a lot of people that like the combat (like me). It's not perfect but I think there's a nice flavor to it with a solid amount of build variety. I've gone through the game 2 1/2 times now and I feel like my style has been drastically different in each.

Aside from that, gameplay encompasses more than just combat. It can be quest design, the structure of choice and consequence in dialogue, the situations you get thrown into, etc. Some people may dislike the combat mechanics but first and foremost this is an RPG. You spend much of the game in conversation with other people. And those conversations are some of the best in the medium. There are few games this large and expansive with the kind of production value (extensive voice acting, well animated/designed characters, etc) and attention to detail in nearly every quest in the game.

But the quest design is not that good. It basically involves following a quest mark while you play CSI with your Witcher senses over and over. BG2 or Planescape this ain't.

Heck, Divinity and PoE came out recently and they completely obliterate this Geralt simulator when it comes to quests.

 

[nib95]

As if we're not a part of the masses? If it's popular, it's popular here too. Just look at the response to Destiny, Star Wars etc etc here. It's no different than everywhere else.

Popular games are still popular on GAF obviously, but in terms of critical reception and commendations, standards can differ greatly.

Dragon Age Inquisition for example won IGN's People's Choice Awards in 2014, whereas it came fourth in GAF's, below three Nintendo games.

IGN'S BEST OF 2014: THE GAME YOU VOTED FOR THE MOST

 

[Nestunt]

Popular games are still popular on GAF obviously, but in terms of critical reception and commendations, standards differ greatly.

Dragon Age Inquisition for example won IGN's People's Choice Awards in 2014, whereas it came fourth in GAF's, below three Nintendo games.

IGN'S BEST OF 2014: THE GAME YOU VOTED FOR THE MOST

each micro cosmos has its own trends

 

[TatteredHat]

I'll probably never be able to definitively say whether The Witcher 3 or Bloodborne was my GOTY 2015, but needless to say I enjoyed both games immensely. Just waiting for the rest of Witcher 3's DLC to be released before I jump back in.

 

[EatChildren]

Having to decide between The Witcher 3 and Bloodborne, two strikingly different yet absurdly good video games, as to which is "Game of the Year", is the most non-problem to have.

 

[Ascenion]

I don't get this point of view. The last 5-10 hours with the elves and onwards is when stuff actually started happening. Up till that point it was two loooong acts of carrot on a stick bullshit. If anything the ending was too short, seeing as nothing important happens in the previous fifty hours.

That's part of my problem, 50 hours in, I've seen the villains twice and only now are they an issue. That makes the end weak. Chasing this carrot on a stick I'm expecting more stuff to happen every so often, important stuff. It's rushed and not very well done. I think I went over my issues in another post too.

 

[Psychoward]

But the quest design is not that good. It basically involves following a quest mark while you play CSI with your Witcher senses over and over. BG2 or Planescape this ain't.

Heck, Divinity and PoE came out recently and they completely obliterate this Geralt simulator when it comes to quests.

Yeah some of the background to the quests are really appreciated but I'm about 25 hours in and starting to get serious fatigue with the "walk towards point, activate witcher senses" questing design.

 

[Spirited]

Having to decide between The Witcher 3 and Bloodborne, two strikingly different yet absurdly good video games, as to which is "Game of the Year", is the most non-problem to have.

The BloodBourne Ultimatum

 

[NHarmonic.]

Perplexed that this game is winning so many GOTY's when most people agree the combat isn't very good or all that challenging. It's gorgeous, has interesting characters, a good plot, and good side questing apart from the main plot.

But the gameplay is lacking.

Then I hear many say it's "one of the best games I have ever played."

Am I the only one perplexed by this?

A game is the sum of it's parts. It's not that difficult to understand.

 

[EthanC]

Popular games are still popular on GAF obviously, but in terms of critical reception and commendations, standards can differ greatly.

Dragon Age Inquisition for example won IGN's People's Choice Awards in 2014, whereas it came fourth in GAF's, below three Nintendo games.

IGN'S BEST OF 2014: THE GAME YOU VOTED FOR THE MOST

Yeah, still mainstream choices.

 

[Turin Turambar]

Popular games are still popular on GAF obviously, but in terms of critical reception and commendations, standards can differ greatly.

Dragon Age Inquisition for example won IGN's People's Choice Awards in 2014, whereas it came fourth in GAF's, below three Nintendo games.

IGN'S BEST OF 2014: THE GAME YOU VOTED FOR THE MOST

Yep, of course standards differ greatly. I mean, GAF gave MGS4 the goty twice!