I'm really gonna have to play Disco Elysium, aren't I? The art style really put me off, but everything else I've heard about it sounds pretty great.
That’s why I love the “new to you” rule. We can get lists with FFVII as #1 in 2019.
I know!!!! It's one of my favorite things with the GOTY, seeing old games pop up. Did you see System Shock 2 also made an appearance? Very awesome.
Is it just me or are we way down on the number of GOTY lists that we had at this point last year?
Hopefully there's an influx coming over the next 2 weeks! I'd also like to encourage Goodjers that maybe just read or browse the forum to pop down a list, we love lists here at GWJ :D
Yes and no. It's not a lot, but as Mantid posted, and as I might've mentioned before, a lot of people post their list in the last ten days of December. Sometimes... even... JANUARY!! =O
3. Night in the Woods (PS4)
I finally got around to playing the game I kickstarted many moons ago. What started as a game about small town degradation in the US in an uncaring society flowed into a game about not only the Mae character (pun intended, #sorrynotsorry)
That was glorious, and I love you for it.
Huge thanks to Vector, nako, conejote, PikaPomelo, DSGamer, halfwaywrong, dejanzie and Danjo Olivaw for your lists! Danjo, you only listed 9 games, and I'm going to assume that was deliberate (but I can't be 100% since you didn't do any numbering or anything, so I'm assuming here).
Right! Okay, so now I know we're starting to get serious, because for the first time since we started, someone posted a list without any new games (as in, all the games on their list had been previously mentioned). I now have 33 lists with 183 games. Pretty awesome, if you ask me, but let's keep those GOTY's coming! 
Right. I should get started on mine, incidentally...
That’s why I love the “new to you” rule. We can get lists with FFVII as #1 in 2019.
If there's one thing I'm proud to have left this community, it's this rule.
The Darksiders memes and jokes about hating fun and not paying more than $4.99 for something are fun, but I feel like the new-to-you rule actually helps people enjoy their hobby more and gives them an opportunity to talk about the things that really meant something to them. I'm glad that Eleima has kept that rule in place, and I hope that it continues on in perpetuity.
Darksiders? Oh, you mean that new Zelda game.
I'm really gonna have to play Disco Elysium, aren't I? The art style really put me off, but everything else I've heard about it sounds pretty great.
Yup, Disco and Control are my two big takeaways from people's lists to look out for in Christmas sales.
Darksiders? Oh, you mean that new Zelda game.
Yeah, it's pretty cool. It's basically Breath of the Wild for middle schoolers.
steinkrug wrote:That’s why I love the “new to you” rule. We can get lists with FFVII as #1 in 2019.
If there's one thing I'm proud to have left this community, it's this rule.
(...)
I'm glad that Eleima has kept that rule in place, and I hope that it continues on in perpetuity.
And you SHOULD be proud! <3 As long as I'm here, it will be. 
steinkrug wrote:That’s why I love the “new to you” rule. We can get lists with FFVII as #1 in 2019.
If there's one thing I'm proud to have left this community, it's this rule.
The Darksiders memes and jokes about hating fun and not paying more than $4.99 for something are fun, but I feel like the new-to-you rule actually helps people enjoy their hobby more and gives them an opportunity to talk about the things that really meant something to them. I'm glad that Eleima has kept that rule in place, and I hope that it continues on in perpetuity.
I'd be remiss to mention that we haven't been seeing a ton of Darksider memes and jokes about hating fun or paying more than $4.99 of late. It's like they died off a bit this past year. Wonder why? 
The real answer, I think, is that there's been an influx of newer posters while older posters have moved on. It's not all about you, sheesh. :P
Is it just me or are we way down on the number of GOTY lists that we had at this point last year?
Hopefully there's an influx coming over the next 2 weeks! I'd also like to encourage Goodjers that maybe just read or browse the forum to pop down a list, we love lists here at GWJ :D
In looking back at the releases of 2019 as compared to 2018, I'm not surprised. Their wasn't a single game released this year that really had me itching to play it at release.
I'm really gonna have to play Disco Elysium, aren't I? The art style really put me off, but everything else I've heard about it sounds pretty great.
Do you mean the watercolor vibe that character portraits and the environments have? Or do you mean how... angular and weird some characters look?
I am under the assumption that it was all done purposely to fulfill that dream-like fugue state you feel when playing the game. The protagonist isn't sure what's going on, and neither are you.
I'd be remiss to mention that we haven't been seeing a ton of Darksider memes and jokes about hating fun or paying more than $4.99 of late. It's like they died off a bit this past year. Wonder why?
Spoiler:The real answer, I think, is that there's been an influx of newer posters while older posters have moved on. It's not all about you, sheesh. :P
I disagree. I’m guilty of letting that die, despite my promises to do a Darksiders nomination simply because I never got that meme. Flies right over my head (I’ve had it explained - several times - I just don’t find it funny, I guess).
In looking back at the releases of 2019 as compared to 2018, I'm not surprised. Their wasn't a single game released this year that really had me itching to play it at release.
*there
Sorry, couldn’t help myself.
I’m not sure that I agree, even though I rarely buy games at launch myself. I saw a bunch of people getting Borderlands 3, Control, Disco Elysium, Outer Wilds and Outer Worlds from the getgo. Same goes for Luigi’s Mansion 3, Link’s Awakening and probably a bunch of other games I can’t think of off the top of my head. And as far as I know, sales were fairly good. This wasn’t a bad year for gaming.
Ahem. It's The Outer Worlds.
beanman101283 wrote:I'm really gonna have to play Disco Elysium, aren't I? The art style really put me off, but everything else I've heard about it sounds pretty great.
Do you mean the watercolor vibe that character portraits and the environments have? Or do you mean how... angular and weird some characters look?
I am under the assumption that it was all done purposely to fulfill that dream-like fugue state you feel when playing the game. The protagonist isn't sure what's going on, and neither are you.
The watercolor vibe, yeah. And I don't doubt it was done deliberately. It just made everything look subjectively unappealing to me in the screenshots I've seen. It's obviously the kind of experience that tosses you head first into the muck - tonally, visually, etc., and that didn't excite me when I first was hearing about the game.
Vrikk wrote:beanman101283 wrote:I'm really gonna have to play Disco Elysium, aren't I? The art style really put me off, but everything else I've heard about it sounds pretty great.
Do you mean the watercolor vibe that character portraits and the environments have? Or do you mean how... angular and weird some characters look?
I am under the assumption that it was all done purposely to fulfill that dream-like fugue state you feel when playing the game. The protagonist isn't sure what's going on, and neither are you.
The watercolor vibe, yeah. And I don't doubt it was done deliberately. It just made everything look subjectively unappealing to me in the screenshots I've seen. It's obviously the kind of experience that tosses you head first into the muck - tonally, visually, etc., and that didn't excite me when I first was hearing about the game.
It can be a depressing and unappealing game. Some of the stories and conversations really make you feel blue. It's important to know that going in - Revachol is a wartorn country that has some broken people.
It can be a depressing and unappealing game. Some of the stories and conversations really make you feel blue. It's important to know that going in - Revachol is a wartorn country that has some broken people.
This is actually why I doubt I'll ever play it. It's also why I'm very frustrated that seemingly everyone is constantly shouting that everyone else needs to play it immediately. The real world is in a REAL BAD place right now. The future looks extremely bleak. With my precious moments of free time, I'm trying to fill them with some positivity.
Yeah. I am a bit Pollyanna but I like my games to be pretty light. I know that means I miss some moving/great stuff but that is ok to me.
Maybe it's a case of entertainment being a mirror looking back at us, but I found many of the darker themes in Disco to actually be kind of optimistic in a way. It served up a sort of emotional validation for the very real anxiety, fears & frustrations I experience in the here and now.
Seeing those little digital people on the screen searching through the dark themselves gave a feeling of solidarity. "I'm not actually going crazy here, the world really feels dire. It's not just me imagining it." leading into, "Perhaps we're all suffering to one degree or another, but we're all human...fragile and beautiful."
It can be quite affecting.
And on the flip side, the game can be fall out of your chair hilarious at times as well. Maybe it's black comedy, but boy does it strike at the heart of so many unspoken truths.
Ahem. It's The Outer Worlds.
Are you an Ohio State alumnus or something?
Vector wrote:Ahem. It's The Outer Worlds.
Are you an Ohio State alumnus or something?
As a Canadian, I do not understand this reference. As a Key and Peele fan, I'm on board.
BadKen wrote:Vector wrote:Ahem. It's The Outer Worlds.
Are you an Ohio State alumnus or something?
As a Canadian, I do not understand this reference. As a Key and Peele fan, I'm on board.
Ohio State University alums insist on calling it THE Ohio State University. With the emphasis on the THE. It's one of those obnoxious things people do that they love and everyone else rolls their eyes at them every time they hear it.
Also, I have my list 'done' but I'm reserving until I finish Darksiders 3 and then move on to push through my stalling point on Dark Souls 3 to see how I feel about the rest of the game. Hint, both are on my list.
Yeah. I am a bit Pollyanna but I like my games to be pretty light. I know that means I miss some moving/great stuff but that is ok to me.
Same, I like my games to be filled with... Yeah, no, not gonna go there yet, I'm not spoiling my GOTY list. Yet.
While I've known that for some time, and I can easily look up my next question but really can't be bothered, is there another university in Ohio?
While I've known that for some time, and I can easily look up my next question but really can't be bothered, is there another university in Ohio?
Yes. 13 public ones and a host of private institutions.
I get it though, I graduated from Mr. Jefferson's University and being pretentious about your alma mater is basically a requirement.
RE: Disco's darkness.
I totally understand that. People use video games as an escape from the shit of the real world. I just feel like this game should be experienced by as many people as possible. It does things so well that I would be laughing in my chair ("Kim, I just learned the alphabet!"), amazed at the depth (literally playing a pen and paper game after buying it at a book store), to feeling melancholy (the atrophied fishing village) all within an hour of game time.
I can understand if someone doesn't even want to bother. I get it. But in what other game can your character literally take morale damage because no one believes him that he is a Superstar Rock Cop?
Thanks for the discussion about Disco Elysium.
I am / was interested by everything everyone has said except for the tone of the game. I watched a bit of Giant Bomb playing it and was put off by everyone being horrible and depressing.
Nier Automata was quite a downer and I just started up Dark Souls again. Maybe those games hide the depressing bits a little behind sci-fi and fantasy and whacky junk like rag doll physics, chanting robots, and sun-bros. Disco Elysium seems just front-loaded with the awful.
Thanks again for everyone's lists and discussions!
I'm here to come clean about completely forgetting about Sayonara Wild Hearts in my original list. So here's my revised list. I'm not ordering or ranking them because I love them all differently for different reasons. They're all my beautiful children.
Top Games:
Control
Disco Elysium
Noita
Untitled Goose Game
Baba Is You
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Honorable Mentions:
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
Dauntless
Afterparty
I get it though, I graduated from Mr. Jefferson's University and being pretentious about your alma mater is basically a requirement. :-D
No kidding? 
Go Hokies!
I'm just joking around. And for the unaware, ActualDragon's school UVA, and mine, Virginia Tech (Hokies) are state rivals.
Vrikk wrote:It can be a depressing and unappealing game. Some of the stories and conversations really make you feel blue. It's important to know that going in - Revachol is a wartorn country that has some broken people.
This is actually why I doubt I'll ever play it. It's also why I'm very frustrated that seemingly everyone is constantly shouting that everyone else needs to play it immediately. The real world is in a REAL BAD place right now. The future looks extremely bleak. With my precious moments of free time, I'm trying to fill them with some positivity.
I completely understand that perspective. I think it’s worth baring in mind that some people deal with the darkness of the world by escaping to a happier place but others find catharsis in games that acknowledge how confusing, scary and bleak life can sometimes be.
Not to spoil my up and coming list or anything.
ActualDragon wrote:I get it though, I graduated from Mr. Jefferson's University and being pretentious about your alma mater is basically a requirement. :-D
No kidding?
Go Hokies!
Spoiler:I'm just joking around. And for the unaware, ActualDragon's school UVA, and mine, Virginia Tech (Hokies) are state rivals.
Hey, we finally got the Commonwealth Cup back this year GO HOOS
(And back to your regularly scheduled video game chatter. I'll be back with my list hopefully before I leave for family holidays because experience has shown that I get no time to do my writeup then.)
Hey ActualDragon, fellow Hoo here, class of 2004. Wahoowa, etc. I don't know why I'm surprised to know there's another person here who graduated from my university that graduates 10k+ students every year, but I am! Yay!
On-topic, I'm holding off on my list for another week or two in hopes I will find time to play Life is Strange 2, as I suspect it may warrant a spot on my list. Last year I put LiS 2 Episode 1 + Captain Spirit on my list. Given the rules around new DLC releases being countable even if you played the main game in a previous year, I'm expecting it would be valid for me to list Episodes 2 - ? on my list this year, right?
I was already interested in Disco Elysium and its place on so many lists here only further cements that. Maybe it'll make my list next year, though, especially if it makes it to Game Pass (either on PC or maybe even console?).
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