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[FoxMcChief]

Expedition 33 is a bad game, it wasn't fun at all, the gameplay was highly limited, just felt like you were running around limited environments, that didn't feel alive in any way or well constructed.

Silksong on the other hand was just amazing, challenging gameplay, lots of variety with enemy types.
Do much detail, lots of ways to tackle different enemies.
The way world is designed is so clever.
While the difficulty can be frustrating at times, the feeling of beating a difficult boss or section of the world is so satisfying.

I didn't get a chance to play Donkey Kong Bananza, but that also looks like a lot of fun.

 

[Aenima]

Good list. Happy to see KC2 nominated for GOTY but i doubt it will get any awards unless thers an award for most imersive game.

My favorite game this year was KC2 but Expedition 33 is filled with GOTY material and deserves the multiple awards, Story, music, acting, almost everething in that game screams GOTY material. And ofc it will get the GOTY award as well.

 

[PatientGamer]

CE33 should clean this so easily.

 

[Metnut]

I think they picked the right games this year.

Hope KCD2 wins, but E33 is going to win a ton of awards. Loved both games.

 

[Closed]

 

[Itchy Tickles]

Claire Obscure for me and by a comically large distance. Regardless, it is my GOTY and the best game of the last few years too. Was sucked in since the very first reveal and the end result was so far beyond expectations, it is just a fantastic game. Can't wait for the update coming out with some new content too!
Still don't think I can stomach watching live though.

 

[Atrus]

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

It's already the most nominated game of all time at The Game Awards but it should go on to dominate in others as well.

You don't often find a single game that's so well rounded.

 

[WoeIsMe]

Hoping for Hollow Knight: Silksong.

But will probably be Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which I thought was OK, not bad, but not fantastic either. Gave it a 3/5.

 

[Moses85]

 

[Rockman33]

Same thing with DS2 and Hollow Knight 2, they are basically glorified DLCs masked as full sequels. More of the same. Now more of the same for games like this is still great, but awarding these games GOTY nominations and 90+ metacritic scores is going a bit too far.

We have to have some standards. GOTYs should not feel like a carbon copy pasta sequel that you get bored playing half way through because its literally the same game with a different coat of paint.

But then again, they literally nominated a DLC last year so what do i know.

Havnt played DS2 yet but I thought silksong was a big improvement and was my favorite game this year. Maybe that makes me a hypocrite.. hades 2 really did feel like the exact same game though.

 

[Generic]

WHERE IS ARC RAIDERS?!

Multiplayer games can't win the hipster awards anymore.

 

[clarky]

Ok, I am definitely more into SP (I do not play MP almost at all, having spent years in Counterstrike 1.1 to 1.6 cured me of that) but you still did not explain what makes it so good, and I am curious, particularly when it can be played solo.

Sorry for taking a while to get back to you.

It's a game that's much greater than the sum of its parts. The game creates stories for you to tell your mates, almost every run. On paper it shouldn't be this good, but has some secret sauce thing going on.

The potential for dynamic, emergent gameplay is second to none, largely in part to the way you interact with randoms (and the AI) at any given moment, especially solo. Uneasy alliances are formed with common goals in mind (or not).

The sound design is incredible.

The AI Is really fun to fight, nothing is scripted.

The sandbox the game provides for you is fantastic and can be messed around in endlessly.

Solo is probably the best experience in the game right now, Followed by Duo's then Trios. Trios usually ends in a fight 90% of the time. The game isn't perfect by any means, the inventory management sucks on a pad, but its not a deal breaker. The lighting indoors leaves a lot to be desired and there is some desync at times. Some of the spawns on some of the maps are terrible. The actual combat is more tactical than your average shooter but not best in class, not terrible mind. If you are looking for tight combat akin to some of the best FPS's this ain't it.

It's a milestone in online gaming in my opinion, hopefully the dev's don't fumble what they have here because right now its something special.

Edit: not a fan of posting youtube videos to re-enforce my views but this guy sums things up pretty well if you have the time to watch and are interested in picking it up.

 

[Orbital2060]

 

[Denton]

The game creates stories for you to tell your mates, almost every run. On paper it shouldn't be this good, but has some secret sauce thing going on.

The potential for dynamic, emergent gameplay is second to none, largely in part to the way you interact with randoms (and the AI) at any given moment, especially solo. Uneasy alliances are formed with common goals in mind (or not).

Reminds me of my DayZ playing days, although AR has lot bigger production values (though I don't know current state of DayZ). Thanks for the write-up.

 

[Ogbert]

Silksong has no business being in that list.

Indie darlings get overrated way more than AAA.

 

[MMaRsu]

No nomination for Arc in sound

 

[Paasei]

Very predictable, but they're pretty much the only real options. Haven't played every game on the list (DS2 and DK), but this list even more so than others shows that it's really much more of a preference than what is actually the best game. I don't believe there is such a thing. All these games are great in their own right.

My personal favorite is E33. Probably a clean sweep for them considering that it broke the record of all-time nominations so far.
I do think KCD2 deseves some love, too. Highly ambitious game, but I don't like all that realism in games. Fun for a while but to me it gets tedious later on and I do not want to deal with it any longer.

 

[Critical Hit]

Reminds me of my DayZ playing days

Any openworld/sandbox multiplayer game with voice chat creates "situations" in every session. I don't know why people act like it's something new and fresh.

 

[Mengy]

Silksong has no business being in that list.

Indie darlings get overrated way more than AAA.

I'm the opposite. I think indie games deserve it more due to their smaller teams and lesser resources. When an indie makes a great game it always impresses me more than any AAA does.

 

[consoul]

From Press Start

It's worth mentioning that Press Start has the privledge of being a part of the judging panel, so we had a direct result in the below.

Huh. Selected gaming sites get to be on the panel? Interesting...

This particular website got called out on national TV in Australia recently for failing to disclose commercial conflicts when reviewing products.

Also privledge is not a word.