2021 Community Game of the Year

FWIW, I am shocked that last year's winner got to Number 8. Hades has some legs. And I wish I could play Metroid in a way that wouldn't bother my minor CP or make me want to snap my switch in half. Had I been able to put it on my list, it may have won.

This is the first time since 2017 that I’ve had games on my list in the community top 10.

jdzappa wrote:

That awkward feeling when you not only didn't have any of the top 10 on your list but also had only played 1 of the 10. I'm so out of touch.

You feel bad? I own only 7 out of the top 30 (two of which I bought in January because of all the discussion), and out of the top 30, I've only played one (Psychonauts 2) ....and only for about 30 minutes so far.

Zero of my top three made it onto the top 30 (Haven, The Artful Escape, and Chicory: A Colorful Tale) and I’m OK with that. Of the three games I played on the top 10 (Forza, Guardians, Metroid), only one of them was any good in my eyes (Forza) and the others were time I would have rather spent with other games, and I’m also ok with that.

Yikes, I own only 3 games in the top 30. Still, always fun to read these lists even if I don't play or have even heard of many of the games listed. Other than RPGamer best of awards, this is the only other GOTY list that I look for.

If we're competing for "Most Out Of Touch GWJer", only one of my top 10 made the community's top 30...

walterqchocobo wrote:

Yikes, I own only 3 games in the top 30. Still, always fun to read these lists even if I don't play or have even heard of many of the games listed. Other than RPGamer best of awards, this is the only other GOTY list that I look for.

Yeah, I hear you. In an usual year, I actually own 5 of the top 30 and, moreover, I voted for 3 of the top ten this year!

I'm not out of touch! I'm cheap and buy everything on sale a year or two later. There is a difference!

We are not the same.gif

Mixolyde wrote:

I'm not out of touch! I'm cheap and buy everything on sale a year or two later. There is a difference!

We are not the same.gif

game pass.gif

Meanwhile I played 8 out of the top 11 and voted for 4 of them (a fifth was an honorable mention). Game Pass helped a little.

But there's something to be said for tuning out the new hotness and just playing what you know you like. Hmm, maybe I have a new 2022 gaming goal.

Of the top eleven 2 were on my list, Guardians and Forza. Of the top thirty only 1 more was on my list, Halo Infinite. My number 2, Super Auto Pets, I think only made 2 list. My number 3 is a game that was dead within 3 months, Hood: Outlaws and Legends. I put 200 hours in it and got all the trophies. These list have taught me that I must like bad games.

jdzappa wrote:

That awkward feeling when you not only didn't have any of the top 10 on your list but also had only played 1 of the 10. I'm so out of touch.

Same! I'm sure some of them will make it on to my 2023/4 lists though. *awkward high five*

I played 8 of the top 30, but I forgot to even vote for a couple of them. Oops.

Tasty Pudding wrote:

If we're competing for "Most Out Of Touch GWJer", only one of my top 10 made the community's top 30...

I've only played one game in the top 30 (Hades) and none of my games made it in the top anything. Outlier to the end!

Eleima wrote:
Tasty Pudding wrote:

If we're competing for "Most Out Of Touch GWJer", only one of my top 10 made the community's top 30...

I've only played one game in the top 30 (Hades) and none of my games made it in the top anything. Outlier to the end!

I prefer to think of it as having refined tastes.

Something smells fishy if everyone here has barely played anything the top10 / 30, and some people forgot to vote for those that they DID play.

Stop the steal!!!
Chicory: A Colorful Tale is the real #1!
(or so some people have said)

Not surprised by the top two but I am shocked that it was so close. Thanks again, Eleima!

I picked up Chicory: A Colorful Tale on Switch over the holidays so who knows, it might make my list for the 2022 GotY awards.

AUs_TBirD wrote:

Something smells fishy if everyone here has barely played anything the top10 / 30, and some people forgot to vote for those that they DID play.

Let's be real, this is just everyone washing their hands of the whole deal.
No, it was not me who caused this disaster. Must have been you! Forza? I didn't vote for that. What is wrong with you people.

Spoiler:

Sorry to the Forza fans. I despise all games equally, and this was just the random example :P

EverythingsTentative wrote:

Of the top eleven 2 were on my list, Guardians and Forza. Of the top thirty only 1 more was on my list, Halo Infinite. My number 2, Super Auto Pets, I think only made 2 list. My number 3 is a game that was dead within 3 months, Hood: Outlaws and Legends. I put 200 hours in it and got all the trophies. These list have taught me that I must like bad games.

I think sometimes a game comes along that for whatever reason, the design cues hit exactly what you (or I, or anyone else) is looking for right at that moment and so the enjoyment factor gets elevated.

I'll tell you this, I've had a real good run with Halo Infinite, having gotten access to a closed beta weekend right after completing Halo Reach co-op and wanting more. That carried me to put in nearly 100 hrs of the full release so far between the campaign and MP. And last night I was almost ready to quit after 4 pathetic rounds lost in row out of 4 played, but I played one more round and got a 24 kill round and my buddy did 21 kills and we won 50-32. My enjoyment and desire to play again skyrocketed with that round. Conversely, I gave up on Apex Legends after a particularly toxic round a long time ago and a couple attempts to go back have flopped miserably, despite starting that game on day 1 and being one of the loudest early supporters on GWJ.

Our experiences along the road color our perception of our [game] world.

I definitely didn't notice Forza on so many lists. Did I just tune out driving games or Xbox games? Don't play either so not sure.

Stele wrote:

Did I just tune out driving games

The industry does, so you're not alone there.

EverythingsTentative wrote:
Stele wrote:

Did I just tune out driving games

The industry does, so you're not alone there.

So do I. My commute is long enough, thanks.

Wow, I realized I didn't even mention Forza Horizon 5 on my list. I just didn't dive into that much and it didn't grab me while I was so distracted by other games like Death's Door, Horizon Zero Dawn, Halo Infinite, and my favorite racing game of last year, Art of Rally, even if it was released in 2020.

And I do usually love having 1 racing game going at any time, leaning usually towards rally games with sim elements.

UpToIsomorphism wrote:

FWIW, I am shocked that last year's winner got to Number 8. Hades has some legs. And I wish I could play Metroid in a way that wouldn't bother my minor CP or make me want to snap my switch in half. Had I been able to put it on my list, it may have won.

It finally releasing on Xbox (and via Game Pass as well) probably had a lot to do with this. It wouldn't have been on my list otherwise.

Also I only played 3 games in the top 30. Hades (my #1), Halo Infinite (my #2), and Control (#4).

There’s usually at least one game form the prior year that ends up making a repeat performance it seems.

steinkrug wrote:

There’s usually at least one game form the prior year that ends up making a repeat performance it seems.

Repeat performances within the top ten are actually a relatively new phenomenon, interestingly enough. It happened with Hades (#8 in 2021 and #1 in 2020), Control (#4 in 2020 and #1 in 2019), Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (#8 in 2020 and #3 in 2019), and Spider-Man (#8 in 2019 and #1 in 2018). Before that, we ahd XCOM2 in 2017 and 2016, but that was tied to the release of an expansion that was bundled in within the main game. Aside from that, well, it just didn't really happen. I don't really have any solid explanation for that. Are people buying fewer games and focusing on ones they've heard of from here? Do people have less time for gaming? Are people relying on Game Pass and the like, instead of buying the shiny and enw stuff? It's just too hard to pinpoint, there are too many confounding factors, but it's definitely something that's been happening recently.

That’s interesting. I guess I was just thinking of recent years.

Eleima wrote:

Aside from that, well, it just didn't really happen. I don't really have any solid explanation for that. Are people buying fewer games and focusing on ones they've heard of from here? Do people have less time for gaming? Are people relying on Game Pass and the like, instead of buying the shiny and enw stuff? It's just too hard to pinpoint, there are too many confounding factors, but it's definitely something that's been happening recently.

I'd say yes to all of the above. I think it's also influenced by the overwhelming quantity of games coming out all the time now and how much more important that makes word of mouth support. Control was on Gamepass, PS+, and an Epic store freebie at some point. That means almost anyone that didn't pick it up during release year had the opportunity to play it for free or as a part of a service they were already paying for.

Hollow Knight is another interesting example. It released in February 2017, but it didn't make the GWJ list that year. It made the 2018 list at #6, likely through a combination of positive word of mouth an a Switch release.

Eleima wrote:

Are people buying fewer games and focusing on ones they've heard of from here? Do people have less time for gaming? Are people relying on Game Pass and the like, instead of buying the shiny and enw stuff? It's just too hard to pinpoint, there are too many confounding factors, but it's definitely something that's been happening recently.

No, yes, and yes. It is actually kind of funny because at first I was pretty meh on Game Pass because I had already bought everything I was interested in that was available on it. Now though I bet about 90+ percent of the modern games I am playing are from Game Pass.

See, this is why I need community feedback, because I'm so out of touch. I don't have GamePass and have yet to see the appeal of it. I don't even have time to play the games I DO own!!