2015 Community Game of the Year - Results posted! Check the front page!

Ok, squeezed a new game into my list and rethought the one being pushed off.

Updated list

For Clocky:

Spoiler:

1- Soma
2 - Child of Light
3 - Transistor

*Changes start here*

4 - Just Cause 3
5 - Last of Us
6 - Alien: Isolation
7 - Omega Quintet
8 - One Piece Pirate Warriors 3
9 - Valiant Hearts: The Great War
10 - Hand of Fate

RnRClown wrote:

I have always went along with the standard as a way of evaluating the opinions of the professionals. For personal favourites amongst friends and communities, it matters not a jot. I said as much in my post. No one bothered to quote that bit!

I didn't quote you but I totally got that.

There aren't too many of us around here who care all that much about what the "professionals" say.

Especially not enough to practically live blog a post in our own award thread! I scoff at those nouveau riche professionals and their pesky awards!

garion333 wrote:

There aren't too many of us around here who care all that much about what the "professionals" say.

Honestly, I agree 100% with this. I don't think I'm alone in saying that I don't religiously read reviews like I used to. Now I pretty much listen to likeminded people (from podcasts and from around here) and kinda pick and choose. Maybe I'm getting old, but I know what I like, and even if everyone is raging about the latest GTA, I know that I'd just be wasting my time and money buying and playing it. That's not to say that I won't let myself be surprised from time to time, but... yeah, I think we're all pretty much doing our own thing around here, and having fun, and that's what counts. So sayeth the wise Game King!

Professional reviews are generally garbage. I don't bother with them at all. If I do want to hear some opinions, I'll get them from people who are actually playing the game for their own enjoyment rather than profit, popularity, because a developer paid them, etc.

I only trust professional reviews. Aside from the fact that the average person has terrible taste in everything, a quick look at any movie or game on Metacritic convinces me that I would rather go with someone who put a lot of thought into their opinion than some random person taking things way too personally.

Just comes down to knowing what the reviewer is like, honestly. If they're actually talented, it's not as important, but I rarely read reviews from someone I've never seen before. Tom Francis, for example, used to be a reviewer, and I quite liked most of his stuff, so when he says something about a game, I tend to give it a look.

That said, I've only ever bought a handful of games based on the word of a single person. I like to do a little research before I spend my money.

Mmm. The odds that a professional reviewer is going to be able to articulate their opinion in a way that lets me figure out if I'm going to like the game are significantly higher.

The only review I *trust* is my own.

Hyetal wrote:

That said, I've only ever bought a handful of games based on the word of a single person.

bekkilyn wrote:

The only review I *trust* is my own.

Exactly. Video game reviews, whether professional or not, have meant very little to me for years now. Normally I'll have a pretty good idea of the type of game, and if it sounds remotely interesting I'll give it a look. If it's a bust for me, it's no big deal.

Hey, look! A bunch of differing opinions! Who know?!?

Spoiler:

Can we put this to bed yet?

garion333 wrote:
Spoiler:

Can we put this to bed yet?

Spoiler:

Is this a GOTY thread? I think this will come up a few times. Maybe.

CptDomano wrote:
garion333 wrote:
Spoiler:

Can we put this to bed yet?

Spoiler:

Is this a GOTY thread? I think this will come up a few times. Maybe.

It's like being in any Souls related thread. The best Souls game debate is going to come up every 10 pages or so.

Spoiler:

It's Dark Souls!

EverythingsTentative wrote:
CptDomano wrote:
garion333 wrote:
Spoiler:

Can we put this to bed yet?

Spoiler:

Is this a GOTY thread? I think this will come up a few times. Maybe.

It's like being in any Souls related thread. The best Souls game debate is going to come up every 10 pages or so.

Spoiler:

It's Dark Souls!

Spoiler:

Please rank the Final Fantasy games

garion333 wrote:
EverythingsTentative wrote:
CptDomano wrote:
garion333 wrote:
Spoiler:

Can we put this to bed yet?

Spoiler:

Is this a GOTY thread? I think this will come up a few times. Maybe.

It's like being in any Souls related thread. The best Souls game debate is going to come up every 10 pages or so.

Spoiler:

It's Dark Souls!

Spoiler:

Please rank the Final Fantasy games

Spoiler:

Only if you tell me which PS4 headphones are the best. I mean, we can do this all day.

CptDomano wrote:
garion333 wrote:
EverythingsTentative wrote:
CptDomano wrote:
garion333 wrote:
Spoiler:

Can we put this to bed yet?

Spoiler:

Is this a GOTY thread? I think this will come up a few times. Maybe.

It's like being in any Souls related thread. The best Souls game debate is going to come up every 10 pages or so.

Spoiler:

It's Dark Souls!

Spoiler:

Please rank the Final Fantasy games

Spoiler:

Only if you tell me which PS4 headphones are the best. I mean, we can do this all day.

Spoiler:

I'm bringing it back!

IMAGE(http://assets0.ordienetworks.com/images/user_photos/1154836/FJLYw_fullsize.jpeg?91c651f8)

kuddles wrote:

I only trust professional reviews. Aside from the fact that the average person has terrible taste in everything, a quick look at any movie or game on Metacritic convinces me that I would rather go with someone who put a lot of thought into their opinion than some random person taking things way too personally.

That's where I am with book, movie, and music reviews. That's not at all where I am with game reviews. Game reviewers are such a homogenous bunch—both in demographics and in taste—that it's difficult at times to find contrary views and to differentiate between a genuinely great product and one that's simply managed to check all the right boxes for the core critic demographic. You still see that kind of opinion clustering in other media but not nearly to the same extent as in gaming. It's getting better, but for the time being, as someone who isn't a lot like the critic demographic, I find there's little difference in what critics have to say versus the rabble on Metacritic.

I feel some professional reviewers fell a pull to fall in line with other reviews (At least with the number at the bottom), because the backlash they may get for standing out. Good or bad reviews can get reviewers rail roaded by other press and their viewers. Look at what Rooster Teeth said about Jeff Gerstmann's review of Fallout 4.

Gaming absolutely has some deep cultural problems with how it responds to contrary opinions and negative reviews. It's something inherited from geek culture generally that's gotten amped up in gaming.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

Gaming absolutely has some deep cultural problems with how it responds to contrary opinions and negative reviews. It's something inherited from geek culture generally that's gotten amped up in gaming.

This is so very, very true.

I LOVE reading reviews of things - anything. If I read a review of something I've seen, the reviewer inevitably notices stuff that I don't, or has a different spin on something I did pick up on. Half of the fun of watching prestige television comes from reading what people say about it, and taking in multitudes of varying opinions.

For some reason, the culture wars really got rolled up into gaming in a way that is more profound than in other mediums - though you still see the cultural wars cropping up in film and TV all of the time (see also: Ghostbusters, casting decisions for The Force Awakens, etc. Heck even in theater you have them popping up in the new Harry Potter play.)

I had my list all put together and then made the mistake/best decision ever to start The Talos Principle, and it's thrown everything to bits. First world tears, etc.

Similar to Hyetal, my relationship with reviewers/critics has become all about finding those writers whose tastes and priorities are similar to my own. Not even sites as a whole, but individual writers - which takes a lot of time and trial and error. At which point I'm not even really treating them as "critics" but friends whose opinions I value. I've found so many good games this year I would've missed otherwise thanks to some of the folks at RockPaperShotgun, Eurogamer, Crate & Crowbar, and what is now Cool Ghosts, between which there's a lot of overlap.

EverythingsTentative wrote:

I feel some professional reviewers fell a pull to fall in line with other reviews (At least with the number at the bottom), because the backlash they may get for standing out. Good or bad reviews can get reviewers rail roaded by other press and their viewers. Look at what Rooster Teeth said about Jeff Gerstmann's review of Fallout 4.

I'm so glad I'm no longer in the loop with stuff like this.

garion333 wrote:
EverythingsTentative wrote:

I feel some professional reviewers fell a pull to fall in line with other reviews (At least with the number at the bottom), because the backlash they may get for standing out. Good or bad reviews can get reviewers rail roaded by other press and their viewers. Look at what Rooster Teeth said about Jeff Gerstmann's review of Fallout 4.

I'm so glad I'm no longer in the loop with stuff like this.

I wasn't aware of that either. Still love RWBY, but I guess I'll stay away from their real world stuff.

Even if all of the reviews were terrible, I'd still love Fallout 4. I've been playing practically every day since release and still can't seem to get enough of it despite any flaws.

What Clock said about game reviews really applies to me. It got to the point once that if a professional reviewer didn't like something, then it was probably a game I should buy because I'd probably like it. I remember reviewers making fun of Endless Ocean on the Wii, but I thought it was a great game. Had I listened to their opinions, I would have missed out on something really fun.

  1. Witcher 3. What can I say that hasn't been said already? Worth the price of admission for the Baron quests alone, this one has some of the best writing I've seen in years.
  2. Heroes of the Storm. My love of MOBAs had nearly gone out, having bashed my head one too may times into the toxic community of LoL and the unnecessary complexities of games like DOTA 2 and HON. Then this gem came along and I'm back, baby. A MOBA done right, this one has kept me coming back every few months or so. Now that I'm starting to dip my toes into Ranked, it's even more compelling... the exact opposite feeling I had when playing LOL.
  3. Invisible, Inc. I don't often align with Tom Chick, but he hit the nail on the head when he said "more frequent minor decisions might feel more realistic, but fewer important decisions will always feel more meaningful". This one is a tight, tense, and completely transparent stealth heist game where getting into the game is easy, but mastering it takes some real skill.
  4. Cities Skylines. Hey, EA. EA! Yeah, yeah you. Paradox took you to lunch in a category you should have owned. With the way this game is continuing to evolve and be supported, we may just have ourselves the new Kings and Queens of the city management genre.
  5. MGS V: The Phantom Pain. While I eventually petered out after about mission 12, I really enjoyed the tactical options and dynamic difficulty the companions provided. I'll go back eventually to muddle through the chaos and confusion of the story.
  6. Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate. My second-favorite AC game ever (behind Black Flag), Syndicate got me excited about this franchise once again. The story, characters, and grappling hook came together to deliver a great addition to this long-running series. Is it a new take on the series? No. Is it a return to form? You betcha.
  7. Dying Light. I fought against playing this one for ages, listening to the critics saying it was derivative and uninspired. Lesson learned -- critics aren't the only source of opinion. I've only been able to sink about 15 hours into this one, but I'm already planning some serious time with it in January, and again when the expansion comes out. Great parkour and crafting bring this one above the hum drum zombie game into something special.
  8. Fallout 4. I'm in the minority that enjoyed Fallout 3 more than NV, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. While all the criticisms leveled against it are perfectly valid (including the horrendous UI and baffling settlement design choices), being back in the wastes was a treat.
  9. Prison Architect. Man, but I love business simulation games. This one, make no mistake, is a business sim at its purest. Just because you're storing criminals instead of widgets doesn't mean that this game is any less focused on creating an efficient supply chain. The relatively small size of the prisons helps to make you hyper-aware of the gang leaders, legendary prisoners, and the guards who CAN'T EFFING LAND A TASER SHOT TO SAVE THEIR LITERAL VIRTUAL LIVES.
  10. Rebel Galaxy. I bounced off of Elite: Dangerous hard for one simple reason: I have no patience for that level of simulation. RG does for the arcade space fan what E:D does for the hardcore fan -- bring space exploration and combat back where they were in the heyday of games like Wing Commander I-III and Privateer. The relatively repetative gameplay held this one back from scoring higher on my list.

I consider critics to be fairly relevant. Not the exact review scores which are mostly nonsensical, but unless you can keep up with all gaming all the time, something is going to slip by unnoticed. For me, seeing what others are talking about in gaming is a great way to find stuff I might enjoy immensely. Just like this thread (and this forum in general) does.
The opinions of professional critics are not more important than anyone posting here or elsewhere, but hardly less important either.

I've used GWJ and, over the last three years, Giant Bomb as my barometer for what games I should look at. It's entirely personality driven. There are people with similar tastes as myself and what interests them is a good indication of what I should take a look at. GWJ is very good because we are exposed to many different kinds of games and that makes me look at genres and settings that I normally would ignore or not know about.

I have my list but I'm still debating the placement of a game. It's fairly high up so I'm going to wait a little while longer.

danopian wrote:

I had my list all put together and then made the mistake/best decision ever to start The Talos Principle, and it's thrown everything to bits. First world tears, etc.

Similar to Hyetal, my relationship with reviewers/critics has become all about finding those writers whose tastes and priorities are similar to my own. Not even sites as a whole, but individual writers - which takes a lot of time and trial and error. At which point I'm not even really treating them as "critics" but friends whose opinions I value. I've found so many good games this year I would've missed otherwise thanks to some of the folks at RockPaperShotgun, Eurogamer, Crate & Crowbar, and what is now Cool Ghosts, between which there's a lot of overlap.

That's exactly my approach as well. Once you know a writer's taste quite well their opinion can even be useful if you generally disagree about specific things, because you'll know what exactly you'd typically not agree on.

(Also, I agree on Talos Principle, it just got too hard near the end for me unfortunately... )

Taharka wrote:
garion333 wrote:

I'm so glad I'm no longer in the loop with stuff like this.

I wasn't aware of that either. Still love RWBY, but I guess I'll stay away from their real world stuff.

Long story short: They went on an incredibly long rant on their podcast about Jeff Gerstmann being a pretentious, elitist game reviewer. A ridiculous claim for Jeff Gerstmann of all people to begin with, but seeing as how his Fallout 4 review goes into great detail that the reason it only got 3/5 stars on console was due to massive performance problems that made it unplayable for him, it was even more embarrassing that they were only responding to the star rating and not the text.

At this point 1/2 think we need to split this conversation out to it's own thread.

As far as reviewers I really think the important thing is learning or having some idea about who the reviewer is and what they like etc. Example reviewer A. has similar tastes in control/mechanics than you but cares allot less about story than you. Reviewer B. is more forgiving on control/mechanics than you are but is similar on story importance. You can than listen to both and find out the information you want on both topics.

Example is I often watch Angry Joe Reviews for his opinion on Story/RGP elements/Fun of a game. However, will often look for other sources about Control/Mechanics. This is simply because allot of games he did not have similar complaints on the control I did and vice versa.

Shadout wrote:

People who didn't like Rocket League must be those who sadly haven't played it yet.
Could Rocket League actually win this :O

I don't know, gift it to me and we can find out.

Spoiler:

No, it will not usurp Splatoon for me. But maybe its worth a try?

I have written my earlly list, and only viewed through page 6 of this thread (where my quote comes from, but I will refrain from posting until after Christmas as I am sure a number of games will be coming in late for me.

Also, someone (cough - oilypenguin - cough) voted for Katana Zero via a gif and no game title, which as far as I can tell, since it looked so awesome I had to look it up, is not even available to play except via convention floor demos, and will not be released until late 2016. But lets throw that gif out again because it looks awesome:
IMAGE(http://www.katanazero.com/images/screens/screen1.gif)