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[REMEMBER CITADEL]

I'd definitely put D4 and Forza Horizon 2 instead of some other games, but it's actually a pretty good list.

 

[Delstius]

Lol, what the heck is 80 Days?

Same here, never heard of it until now, what's this ?

 

[Miles Quaritch]

How have I not heard of 80 days before?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZpE5_S9idE

The long overdue return of text based adventure games!

 

[Ridley327]

Sure, but by the looks of it they forgot SSB and DAI. This list was made and likely finalised before those games were released. They should have waited a month.

Or maybe they didn't think high enough of those games to include them over what they did? I mean, it is an opinion piece.

 

[Magic Mushroom]

Horrible list

It's pretty good actually, though Tropical Freeze and especially Bayonetta 2 are glaring omissions.

 

[Jawmuncher]

I'm legit surprised to see Sunset Overdrive on there.

Actually glad it's there.
My surprise of the year and easily in the top 5 of what I have played.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Never heard of it until now, what's this ?

It's an iOS game and it seems to be based on the Jules Verne book, but set in an alternative steampunk history. It looks to be some kind of choose-your-own-adventure. I'm intrigued by it, especially considering someone thought it was their top game of the year.

 

[TheDarkKnight774]

How have I not heard of 80 days before?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZpE5_S9idE

The long overdue return of text based adventure games!

Ah the same devs that did sorcery. These guys are doing legit good games in the mobile space, and not IAP exploitation software. A rarity

 

[Alx]

We all have games that we love and would like to appear on that list, but I'm surprised that there are 4 games there that I've never heard of, or barely (#1, 7, 8 and 10).

 

[dramatis]

For those of you wondering what 80 Days is, here's Stump's official thread for the game:

An around-the-world interactive replayable text adventure race

The year is 1872. You are a personal valet, Passepartout, working in the service an English gentleman, Phileas Fogg. One day he tells you that he has made a wager--to travel around the entire globe in 80 Days or less. He hands you a wad of money, asks you to pack his things, and you're off. Can you make it in time?

Not out on Android yet, but the developer is working on it. Not a freemium game.

 

[V_Ben]

That's a super great list.

 

[fushi]

Horrible list

Horrible first post?

I think this was a great list, replacing many traditional, big budget picks for more interesting ones. Which, you know, is actual diversity.

 

[bigkrev]

This is better than most of the lists you will end up seeing. Considering how willing this person was to put mobile games on, I'm shocked that Threes isn't on the list- right now, I'm going back and forth between Threes and Hearthstone as my GOTY.

 

[SliceSabre]

Meh its not like I go to TIME for good thoughts on gaming anyway.

A mobile game being number 1 makes me lol though.

 

[Afrodium]

I predict this will be the year where there's a ton of indies on GOTY lists. I'd bet that at least one large gaming site will put an indie at the top of their list too.

 

[Shengar]

Wasteland 2 will never make it to lists such as these, smh

 

[EGM1966]

Alien Isolation at 2? Fine by me. Glad to see Shadow of Mordor on there too.

 

[Jimmyfenix]

I predict this will be the year where there's a ton of indies on GOTY lists. I'd bet that at least one large gaming site will put an indie at the top of their list too.

Why not. Indie games have really knocked it out of the park this year.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

Alien.. wasn't that game not good at all?

 

[Pollux]

Alien at 2? I can get behind that

 

[elohel]

hate to say it but fantastic list

this is for people that read time

 

[ldcommando]

what a shitty year, jesus

 

[Jimmyfenix]

what a shitty year, jesus

Not really. Where AAA games faltered Mobile & Indies picked it up.

 

[SuperSonic1305]

It's a mobile game.

List invalid.

 

[ldcommando]

Not really. Where AAA games faltered Mobile & Indies picked it up.

I guess. I really had a good time with shovel knight.

 

[Liamc723]

Alien.. wasn't that game not good at all?

Erm it was a great game, not sure where you got that from.

This list represents how bad 2014 has been for gaming in general. A Mobile game at number 1? Jeez.

 

[Grisby]

Nice list. Sunset and Shovel knight are top games.

Alien.. wasn't that game not good at all?

It was good. Nailed the look of the universe and provided some good horror thrills.

 

[opticalmace]

List invalid.

Sadly true for a lot of people.

 

[GeoramA]

Expecting a lot of GOTY list to look like this. Decent year for indies, shit year for retail.

2015 is going to be great for both, though.

 

[so1337]

Velocity 2X detected. List is valid.

 

[Sendou]

I really need to play 80 Days. Monument Valley too.

 

[GitarooMan]

Cool list. I really liked Velocity 2X, and Shovel Knight is great too.

 

[megalowho]

I love 80 Days. If it sounds interesting to folks then definitely give it a try. It'll probably be on my list somewhere as well.

 

[CloudWolf]

A mobile game being number 1 makes me lol though.

Why? Mobile games can't be good or excellent? Come on man, we're past that point. The mobile media are as much of a gaming platform as others.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Meh its not like I go to TIME for good thoughts on gaming anyway.

A mobile game being number 1 makes me lol though.

What's wrong with a mobile game, especially one that appears to be as well made as 80 Days, taking the number one spot?

I only know about its existence thanks to this list, can't wait for it to hit android.

 

[SmokyDave]

Sadly true for a lot of people.

Nah, I think most people are far more open-minded than self identified gamers. Where gamers see a 'mobile game', most people just see a 'game'.

 

[UncleCross]

Yea I don't get it. I use these threads to check out potential cool games I missed out on. Going to look into 80 days now

All the whiners just need lists like this to validate their purchases. When they don't natch up then the insecurities start to show.

 

[Carl]

Holy shit, 2X on that list? Amazing.

 

[gift of 100 gab]

Disappointed they forgot about Towerfall but happy they reminded me that I need to finally buy 80 days.

 

[bigkrev]

I actually found this to be a disappointing year for Indie stuff, after last year gave us stuff like Stanley Parable, Gone Home, and Paper's Please.

 

[Ridley327]

Disappointed they forgot about Towerfall but happy they reminded me that I need to finally buy 80 days.

Granted, it came out last year on a system no one gave a shit about, but Towerfall is still a 2013 title at the end of the day.

 

[Zia]

A lot of lists are going to look like this one, so let the meltdowns begin!

And 80 Days is phenomenal. A much better game than anything released on XB1 or PS4 and it's a $5 Choose Your Own Adventure. Remarkable stuff.

 

[gift of 100 gab]

Granted, it came out last year on a system no one gave a shit about, but Towerfall is still a 2013 title at the end of the day.

Oh, didn't know that.

 

[TylerDurden4321]

I get the game-for-your-buck argument when it comes to smartphone games, but... there's too many of them on that list. Even though I'm a little anti-CoD, this year's one seemed pretty good. Also Forza Horizon 2, Wolfenstein, Dragon Age: Inquisition, and that's just to mention AAA-titles, there were a LOT of great indie-games that were not iOS/android, that sure were better than those.

If that's a list "bang/buck, innovation, catered to our average readers" than... ok, but mention it somewhere before you say BEST games.

 

[Delstius]

It's an iOS game and it seems to be based on the Jules Verne book, but set in an alternative steampunk history. It looks to be some kind of choose-your-own-adventure. I'm intrigued by it, especially considering someone thought it was their top game of the year.

Thanks for the info. Too bad there's no android version yet. It's not my cup of tea, but my gf would probably love this.

Regarding the whole list, the author did a really poor job at explaining his choice to say the least.

 

[li bur]

If you don't like 80 days after you played it, that's fine by me. But bashing the game for being a mobile title is ridiculous. If you love adventure game or reading a book you should give this game a try. Its that good.

 

[opticalmace]

Nah, I think most people are far more open-minded than self identified gamers. Where gamers see a 'mobile game', most people just see a 'game'.

I agree with that. I actually was thinking about the self-identified gamers with my previous comment. Maybe I should have said "(on GAF/etc)" at the end.

I get the game-for-your-buck argument when it comes to smartphone games, but... there's too many of them on that list. Even though I'm a little anti-CoD, this year's one seemed pretty good. Also Forza Horizon 2, Wolfenstein, Dragon Age: Inquisition, and that's just to mention AAA-titles, there were a LOT of great indie-games that were not iOS/android, that sure were better than those.

If that's a list "bang/buck, innovation, catered to our average readers" than... ok, but mention it somewhere before you say BEST games.

Have you actually played the mobile games in this list?

 

[orthodoxy1095]

I get the game-for-your-buck argument when it comes to smartphone games, but... there's too many of them on that list. Even though I'm a little anti-CoD, this year's one seemed pretty good. Also Forza Horizon 2, Wolfenstein, Dragon Age: Inquisition, and that's just to mention AAA-titles, there were a LOT of great indie-games that were not iOS/android, that sure were better than those.

If that's a list "bang/buck, innovation, catered to our average readers" than... ok, but mention it somewhere before you say BEST games.

Two (excellent) smartphone games is too many? Did you actually play the two listed games? I assume you must have since you seem to know that other indie games "sure were better than those."

 

[aeolist]

listen to the last few idle thumbs episodes if you want some good 80 days talk

i'll definitely be picking up the android version when it comes out

 

[hbkajshdvfbkjhvgkahsgdfka]

If that's a list "bang/buck, innovation, catered to our average readers" than... ok, but mention it somewhere before you say BEST games.

They don't have to because I imagine their readers are intelligent enough to possess the arcane ability to not get up in arms about opinions. They'll understand.