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[Plague Doctor]

The thing with Sunless Sea, it's that even lots of people who liked the game (they love the lore, the writing, the idea of the game) say it's flawed, being too slow and grindy.

There are flaws but coming from Echo Bazaar, Failbetter's web based game, it's great to see they are evolving the setting and they are doing it on their own terms. I am excited to see if they will release another game in a different genre/format.

Edit: The different genre/format being a true rpg given how character driven EB is.

 

[Jobbs]

Pretty thoughtful list other than MGS5. Not sure why that's there.

 

[decoyplatypus]

I missed the boat on Sunless Sea. I'll have to give it try over the holidays.

 

[Aaron D.]

I completely agree. The slow speed plays against the rogue-like mechanics.

Which is why my speed mod is necessary!
https://steamcommunity.com/app/304650/discussions/1/520518688942394359/
(basically, the sailing portion approximately runs at 3x speed).

Nice.

Thanks for the link, I might just have to reinstall SS for this mod.

 

[Thorn]

MGSV getting one step closer to that top spot!

Splatoon and Xenoblade X!

No mention of that trash Witcher 3!

 

[Scotia]

Not surprised at all the annoying "NO WITCHER 3?!?!?!" posts.

It's good to see a Top 10 list look outside of AAA titles for their entires.

 

[foxuzamaki]

Bloodborne and Splatoon. Yes.

And Xenoblade makes it onto another list. Sweeeeeet.

What was the other list?

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

I see we have many unanswered prayers to Salt in this thread.

 

[Messofanego]

1. Sunless Sea (Mac, Windows)
3. Her Story (iOS, Mac, Windows)
6. Kerbal Space Program (Linux, Mac, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Windows, Xbox One)
7. The Beginner’s Guide (Linux, Mac, Windows)
9. Downwell (Android, iOS, Windows)
10. Darkest Dungeon (Linux, Mac, PlayStation 4 and Vita, Windows)
11. Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture (PlayStation 4)

I still need to play Downwell and Kerbal Space Program but can definitely see the respect KSP gets, considering NASA approves of it.

 

[Scipio]

Clearly not the usual list but it's more interesting than the official ones, at least this wasn't bought (I think).

Still think the Witcher 3 was phenomenal and deserves to top every GOTY list. But it is also flawed and I can understand why you wouldn't like.

 

[Grakl]

This is a shockingly awesome list out of The New Yorker, which is typically literally the last place I'd ever look for an opinion on video games. At least one person on staff has good taste confirmed! Fine, it's far more likely someone just has a teenage child with good taste, and they deliberately asked for a wide variety of platforms in an attempt to make everyone happy. Their child doesn't own an XB1, unfortunately.

Not sure if you're being sarcastic

 

[jrcbandit]

This should be bolded in the OP



I love Witcher 3, but it's not particularly innovative.

Also sounds like he gave it 5 stars and said it's brilliant. So I'm good

But the Witcher 3 is inventive in how it treats it's side quests. They aren't all MMORPG-like kill 5 mobs or collect 5 parts grinds like 99% other RPGs. Plus, even when it does amount to kill a mob, it's presented in an interesting story usually. It's one of the few games where I enjoyed doing the side activities.

 

[SplitYourInfinities]

Simon Parkin ‏@SimonParkin 46s47 seconds ago
someone sent me a message posted on Neogaf suggesting that this list was compiled by a New Yorker staff writer's game-literate teenage son

Simon Parkin ‏@SimonParkin 18s19 seconds ago
taking the compliment.

Simon Parkin <3

 

[bomma_man]

This is a shockingly awesome list out of The New Yorker, which is typically literally the last place I'd ever look for an opinion on video games. At least one person on staff has good taste confirmed! Fine, it's far more likely someone just has a teenage child with good taste, and they deliberately asked for a wide variety of platforms in an attempt to make everyone happy. Their child doesn't own an XB1, unfortunately.

Have you ever actually read the New Yorker?


Some truely pathetic posts in this thread, get a life.

 

[Brandon F]

Kerbal? Isn't that like a 2011 game? I swear some podcasts have been discussing it for years.

 

[Corpekata]

I don't particularly associate games like Her Story, Everyone's Gone to the Rapture and Sunless Sea with teenagers personally.

 

[Ferrio]

Kerbal? Isn't that like a 2011 game? I swear some podcasts have been discussing it for years.

It came outta early access this year.

 

[Alpha Phoenix]

Someone clearly forgot to play Witcher 3.

 

[Trionix11]

Hipster list?

That's exactly what I thought.

 

[Kathian]

NO mentioned of the Witcher 3? Wow.

Can't believe in this age people still have these reactions

 

[Scotia]

Someone clearly forgot to play Witcher 3.

Or maybe not everyone liked the game, gee imagine that

 

[Stinkles]

Great list. Can't complain.


Wish people would realize lists are subjective and stop trying to argue things into or out of them.

And further, why should writers have played every game?

 

[Comrade Crunch]

I'm honestly surprised that The Witcher 3 didn't even get a mention. I mean opinions and all that, but really?

Pretty okay list over all though, Sunless Sea was one of my favorite games this year, happy to see Everybodys Gone To The Rapture too.

 

[Radical Edward]

Great list.

needs more EDF though...

 

[ashecitism]

Someone clearly forgot to play Witcher 3.

he gave it 5 stars: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/may/13/witcher-3-wild-hunt-review-xbox-ps4-pc

 

[Lunar15]

Solid list of games!

I'm not sure why we all need our favorite games to be on every list. That's just not how this works. W3 is my favorite game of the year, but it's silly and useless to think that every person in the universe would enjoy it as I have. It's a pretty niche game as it is.

EDIT: Although, the same writer did give it 5 stars. But oh well. These are games he wanted to call out more! It makes sense when you realize he chose Xenoblade as his choice for big, sprawling open world game.

 

[Lucumo]

Sunless Sea? Good choice.

 

[ThatOneGrunt]

I can think of a lot of games that belong on that list other than Everybody's Gone to the Rapture. That game was incredibly boring.

 

[pantsmith]

No Life is Strange. No Witcher. No Fallout. No Ori.

This is a bad list that reads like someone has an agenda.

Fallout IV may be the better-known sprawling role-playing game of 2015, but Xenoblade is the stronger of the two. -the article

Fallout 4 is a neat game that does a lot right, but its exclusion from the list hardly warrants such a gross dismissal. This is merely the thoughts of one guy.

 

[cr_blah_blah]

I'm pretty surprised about Sunless Sea. I've been thinking of getting it since launch but even skipped it on Steam sale based on general vocal opinion about it not being too positive. It's always looked cool as hell.

 

[Aaron D.]

I still need to play Downwell and Kerbal Space Program but can definitely see the respect KSP gets, considering NASA approves of it.

More importantly, it's Vinny Approved:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUYKVK4jem0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-8wmeudaCw

Can't wait to hear him talk it up in this year's Giant Bomb GOTY podcasts.



I looked back and KSP was my #3 GOTY in 2013.

The game has come a long way since (full campaign, etc.), but ironically the fan-made Build Fly Dream trailer from that same year still gloriously sells the game, even in that bare-bones Early Access state.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkDOOsGg-9I

 

[Makonero]

Fallout 4 is a neat game that does a lot right, but its exclusion from the list hardly warrants such a gross dismissal. This is merely the thoughts of one guy.

Really? I thought this summed it up for the entire world!

And it isn't a gross dismissal, it's the truth.

 

[Anno]

I'm pretty surprised about Sunless Sea. I've been thinking of getting it since launch but even skipped it on Steam sale based on general vocal opinion about it not being too positive. It's always looked cool as hell.

SS definitely isn't for everyone. There's a ton of (very good) writing and the gameplay is pretty slow and unforgiving. And not everyone likes rogue-lite games, even if they have succession systems to have some meta progress.

That said I think it's an incredibly realized setting with plenty of agonizing decisions to make. I personally enjoyed the slow pace as well, as it doesn't seem like the type of world where things happen quickly and easily. I also think it's quite pretty especially if you're into Lovecraftian stuff.

 

[blackw0lf]

But the Witcher 3 is inventive in how it treats it's side quests. They aren't all MMORPG-like kill 5 mobs or collect 5 parts grinds like 99% other RPGs. Plus, even when it does amount to kill a mob, it's presented in an interesting story usually. It's one of the few games where I enjoyed doing the side activities.

It's definitely way beyond most RPGs. But it is falling in the paths of the classics like Planescape and Fallout. And brings that sophisticated storytelling into an open world rpg for probably the first time.

The Witcher 3 just takes what's come before and perfects it.

And even then, Witcher 3's quests aren't the most innovative in terms of structure. That claim still goes to New Vegas. They're just EXTREMELY well written.

Witcher 3 is my GOTY, but I wouldn't claim it to be one of the most innovative.

 

[Corpekata]

I'm curious what the "agenda" is of someone that denies Witcher, Fallout, Life is Strange, and Ori. Like what's the cross section there?

 

[megalowho]

There are flaws but coming from Echo Bazaar, Failbetter's web based game, it's great to see they are evolving the setting and they are doing it on their own terms. I am excited to see if they will release another game in a different genre/format.

Edit: The different genre/format being a true rpg given how character driven EB is.

I agree with this - it feels like Fallen London/Echo Bazaar and Sunless Sea are both planting seeds and testing ideas for a larger game that builds upon the foundation and brings Failbetter's unique universe to life. I'm not sure if that's their intention or if the budget would even be there if they had an idea, but I definitely caught myself a few times during both games wishing that I could truly wander the Unterzee instead of reading about it (as evocative and lovely as the prose can be).

 

[Messofanego]

This is a shockingly awesome list out of The New Yorker, which is typically literally the last place I'd ever look for an opinion on video games. At least one person on staff has good taste confirmed! Fine, it's far more likely someone just has a teenage child with good taste, and they deliberately asked for a wide variety of platforms in an attempt to make everyone happy. Their child doesn't own an XB1, unfortunately.

This is Simon Parkin, dude!

He's written some of the best videogame journalism ever:

Simon Parkin

Shooters: How Video Games Fund Arm Manufacturers
The boy who stole Half-Life 2
The Videogame Invasion of Iraq
Who killed Rare?
That cancer game
Who spilled Hot Coffee
Blurred lines: Are YouTubers breaking the law?
Gaming Your Brain: How video game companies are making a science of turning your data into profit
Winners might use drugs
And more

He's a great critic who reviews hundreds of games. He's been on EDGE, Guardian, Eurogamer, New Yorker, and wrote the novel, Death By Video Game.

 

[backbreaker65]

2. Metal Gear Solid V (PlayStation 3 and 4, Windows, Xbox One and 360)
5. Bloodborne (PlayStation 4)
6. Kerbal Space Program (Linux, Mac, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Windows, Xbox One)
10. Darkest Dungeon (Linux, Mac, PlayStation 4 and Vita, Windows)
11. Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture (PlayStation 4)

Honorable Mentions
Rocket League (Linux, Mac, PlayStation 4, Windows)
Galak Z (PlayStation 4, Windows)

These are the Games that are playable on the PS4 which has no games, interesting.

 

[Acerac]

That well deserved respect for Sunless Sea. I wouldn't have given it GotY myself but I'm not mad seeing it win the title here.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

You guys going all ape shmidt over Ori doesn't make sense to me. It is just a very solid Metroidvania with amazing production values. I liked it a lot and forgot it the second it was over.

List is really good of the games I played and I now have to play all the ones on there I haven't heard of yet.

 

[wenis]

Great list. probably the best one we'll see this season.

 

[Corpekata]

2. Metal Gear Solid V (PlayStation 3 and 4, Windows, Xbox One and 360)
5. Bloodborne (PlayStation 4)
6. Kerbal Space Program (Linux, Mac, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Windows, Xbox One)
10. Darkest Dungeon (Linux, Mac, PlayStation 4 and Vita, Windows)
11. Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture (PlayStation 4)

Honorable Mentions
Rocket League (Linux, Mac, PlayStation 4, Windows)
Galak Z (PlayStation 4, Windows)

These are the Games that are playable on the PS4 which has no games, interesting.

I agree with your overall point but 2 of those games aren't actually playable on PS4 yet, so it's kind of funny to use them for that.

 

[Eman Resu]

What a list

 

[Roran Stehl]

Great list. Interesting choices. Different which is a good thing.

 

[mobilesworking]

A thoughtful list by a writer of good taste and rhetorical skill. I'd only replace Rapture with SOMA, which offers a better story, more effectively told.

 

[OverBlood 3]

Has Neogaf always been this full of whiners?

 

[mattiewheels]

Swear to god every one of these threads turns into the reverse of this. People aren't allowed to deviate from some collective agreement, I guess. Quit acting like every list your favorite game isn't on is some kind of personal defeat.

 

[Amused]

But the Witcher 3 is inventive in how it treats it's side quests. They aren't all MMORPG-like kill 5 mobs or collect 5 parts grinds like 99% other RPGs. Plus, even when it does amount to kill a mob, it's presented in an interesting story usually. It's one of the few games where I enjoyed doing the side activities.

This is good game design, but it is not innovation. (Good) RPGs have done this the last 20+ years. Fallout:New Vegas has done it incredibly well in an open world RPG.

It's great, but it's not new.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

#1 is a bold, bold pick. I love that.

I have literally never heard of Sunless Sea.

I have zero clue what Sunless Sea is.

You're all missing out. It's a superb game. At least look into it to see what it's about!

The thing with Sunless Sea, it's that even lots of people who liked the game (they love the lore, the writing, the idea of the game) say it's flawed, being too slow and grindy.

Our news at 5: Every game that you like has flaws!

Tomorrow we will be discussing whether the sky is blue or not!

 

[aygomyownroad]

It's all subjective. Personally a poor list I think.

Ori and the Blind Forest should be up in that top 10 minimum.

Rocket League should be there as well.

Be interesting to see how high MGSV is on gaffers games of the year. Never played it but after release with all the micro transactions it seemed a lot of people fell out of love with it very quickly