I actually think Patrick is being really conservative on Danganronpa spoilers. The "spoilers" I remember him mentioning are pretty minor in the long run. He seems afraid to say anything real specific about the game. I'm hoping he brings something up for "Best Moment," though, lol.
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Giant Bomb GOTY 2014 - Destiny Has Brought Us Here
- Thread starter daydream
- Start date
I actually think Patrick is being really conservative on Danganronpa spoilers. The "spoilers" I remember him mentioning are pretty minor in the long run. He seems afraid to say anything real specific about the game. I'm hoping he brings something up for "Best Moment," though, lol.
call_kotaku
Member
However, I think Mordor winning GOTY would be super depressing. It's very competent, but outside of the Nemesis system it isn't particularly inspired, and I don't think it'll be a game that people will really remember in 5 years.
Somehow I feel like "Game of the Year" shouldn't mean "Most Well-Made Game of the Year". I understand if people have reservations about giving Bayo 2 GOTY, because it isn't a perfect game and it isn't a game a lot of people will ever play, but Mordor just feels like "AAA game that made the fewest number of fatal mistakes in 2014". It'll just reflect on how poor of a year 2014 was for games.
Somehow I feel like "Game of the Year" shouldn't mean "Most Well-Made Game of the Year". I understand if people have reservations about giving Bayo 2 GOTY, because it isn't a perfect game and it isn't a game a lot of people will ever play, but Mordor just feels like "AAA game that made the fewest number of fatal mistakes in 2014". It'll just reflect on how poor of a year 2014 was for games.
Basileus777
Member
He didn't have the time to get more in depth, but he still details the last scene of Danganronpa and people might not want to be spoiled on that, so it was worth warning about. But yeah, there were definitely things he could have spoiled that he didn't get to.
neogaffer1
Banned
I'm getting flashbacks to that one thread where people were angry SoM won Best Action/Adventure over Bayo2 during The Game Awards.
Crysis and Titanfall already had similar systems (Crysis with the ground pound and other super strength things and Titanfall with the boosting in different directions).
neogaffer1
Banned
Woops, double post
neogaffer1
Banned
I'm a bit bummed it looks like Mordor is winning GOTY. Talk about a decent but mostly unoriginal, standard open world collectathon game that is far too easy, with a bad story and combat that is an exact rip off of another game. Oh but it has that great nemesis system so GOTY I guess.
This to me, undersells Shadow of Mordor quite a bit.
Yeah, the Nemesis system is the best part of that game. It's also pretty much, that game. Games these days, good games (and bad) come out built around the slimmest of mechanics. The fact that Mordor came out with a mechanic that was excellent, that was actually rather relevant to the game, that was functional and that was new, is a pretty big achievement.
Obviously somebody at Monolith realized quite early on what made the game they were making good/special, and clearly tied as many elements of the gameplay, visuals and story around that system. It's an open world game where interaction with the world actually felt meaningful, and I can't remember the last time that happened (certainly, it wasn't this year).
I also disagree it won't be remembered. My guess is that this mechanic will be copy pasted onto open world games, and maybe other genres entirely, for the next decade to some extent, and that the Mordor-esque label will be used (I'm guessing someone will come up with a better label than me though).
Why does this thing say 56 years of continued excellence?
Is this how old Jeff is?
Since no one has answered correctly: it's a running gag of Giant Bomb's GOTY.
Last year was 55. It was 54 the year before. And so on. And so forth.
Basileus777
Member
I hope they improve it when they copy it, because I found the Nemesis system to largely be a shallow gimmick that often failed to work because I rarely died. And the rest of Mordor was a mediocre open world game in a boring setting and with no content that wasn't centered around increasingly repetitive combat.
Honestly I feel like letting Orcs kill you strategically was part of fully exploiting the Nemesis system.
I agree with this. Maybe I was too good from playing 3 Batman games on hard but Mordor was way too easy and I rarely died. I feel the system failed me because I was supposed to have a climactic battle with my nemesis orc at the end but it was just a random orc I didn't recognize because I had already killed everything on the first try.
2014 is a weak year, whether its Bayonetta, Mordor, or Shovelknight that takes it. nothing changes that. Its also not a matter of what was the "most well made". It comes down to what the group, as a collective, enjoyed the most.
I think Mordor truly only expects you to really die and struggle a bit in the beginning when you deal with just Killing the war chiefs. Once you get powerful enough during the later half of that and in the beginning of the second area you get the Domination stuff. And the second area is all about using this to control people and being over powered imo.
I think Domination is the best part of the system since it's when you're able to do so much more with the Orcs, and I found it pretty cool. I do think it fails if you're just too good at it or get powered up quickly because you never die enough to get a real Nemesis. I think most reviewers had that happen though or just have one they just couldn't kill. So I think a lot of the praise is how the system worked well and was awesome to them, that doesn't mean it's going to be perfect or your own experience with the system.
Sorry if this doesn't explain my thoughts too well.
I think Domination is the best part of the system since it's when you're able to do so much more with the Orcs, and I found it pretty cool. I do think it fails if you're just too good at it or get powered up quickly because you never die enough to get a real Nemesis. I think most reviewers had that happen though or just have one they just couldn't kill. So I think a lot of the praise is how the system worked well and was awesome to them, that doesn't mean it's going to be perfect or your own experience with the system.
Sorry if this doesn't explain my thoughts too well.
petethepanda
Member
Singstar segment gets better and better.
sammyCYBORG
Member
I have to agree about Mordor. The Nemesis system was great but I don't think that's enough to warrant GOTY. The rest of the game was just Batman and AC. Fun but nothing amazing.
Captain Toad for GOTY. Do it, Patrick.
Captain Toad for GOTY. Do it, Patrick.
Patrick wont fight for toad that hard because he didn't get to the end game which made him go from really liking the game to one of his favourites of the year until he got home from the goty discussions.
sammyCYBORG
Member
It would never stand a chance anyway. At least Wii U won the exclusive category.
meanspartan
Member
Agreed.
Mordor was a pleasant surprise, a game I had zero expectations for that ended up being a solid 8/10 for me with a cool twist, the nemesis system.
That an 8/10 is even in the GOTY discussion speaks volumes on how forgettable 2014 was.
It's not even in his personal top 10
sammyCYBORG
Member
Yes it is. He summarised what was great about it perfectly.
"While I expected to like Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, I didn't expect to fall head over heels in love. Toad's stages from Super Mario 3D World were a lovely distraction, but a whole game? These days, there are very few restraints placed on designers. The roadblocks are creativity and budgets. There's untapped potential in working within rules and limitations, however, and Treasure Tracker constantly finds new ways to surprise. From top to bottom, whether we're talking about the player or the level designer, Treasure Tracker is about restraints. It's a Mario spin-off where the character cannot jump! The levels are impossibly small, but EAD Tokyo delights in hiding things in unexpected places. Tweak the camera just a littttle bit--voila! A treasure you're sure couldn't be in the level pops into view, and a smile hits your face."
For me Mordor is the greatest illusion of the year. Each of its mechanics whether it be the nemesis system, weapon runes or the overall combat system itself, aren't as involved or have enough game-changing impact as they would imply. You almost have to fail multiple times to actually get the full effect of the nemesis system but that's actively hard to do when the engagements against enemies aren't difficult, the combat system is fairly simple and you quickly turn into a mobile Uruk slaughter house. There's something to be said though for its ability to pull you into that system, even as slight as it may have been, and making the world feel more inhabited and organic than it really is.
It's interesting to me that many of the reviews and articles about mordor mainly praise the game when it came to how the nemesis system created situations which gave them emotional motivation to take revenge on their killer. There seems to be a heavy preference to emotional connections through character exposition, cutscenes and the like rather than any connection from the actual act creating something through player input. The latter is something I don't think mordor and most AAA do well.
SporeCrawler
Member
i agree that mordor would be kinda depressing. still a better pick than inquisition or destiny. mario kart or smash have zero chance at giant bomb. bayonetta 2 may have a chance but at this point far cry 4 seems more likely.
SporeCrawler
Member
the game works best when you have no upgrades and a warlord that can one shot you. then it gets really great imho..
DryvBy
Member
I can't believe Mordor is winning anything on any site. It was a fun game, but nothing outstanding. Even the nemesis system became mediocre midway through. Plus, it had one of the absolute worst ending boss battle I've seen in a very long time.
Don't get me wrong. I don't regret beating it, or getting a platinum trophy in it, but it wasn't the best thing that came out this year by any means.
Don't get me wrong. I don't regret beating it, or getting a platinum trophy in it, but it wasn't the best thing that came out this year by any means.
I played without runes, only completed missions that progressed the storyline and only branded when the game specifically called for it. I did however unlock execution and upgraded execution abilities which completely neuters the combat. Personally I'm not a fan of going out of my to avoid systems and mechanics in order to increase the difficulty. I know the ease of the game was one of my complaints but I'd like the game to still be challenging while including the systems and mechanics in place.
usernamechange
Member
Easily because it's a better game.
I always thought opinions couldn't be wrong but you're really testing me here.
word.
At this point everyone should know how Jeff and the rest of the crew operate as individuals. His attitude towards Nintendo's releases and other things should be expected at this point.
SporeCrawler
Member
funny how his game of the year is call of duty. the very definition of an annual release.
kinda feels like clearing zelda with 3 hearts huh?
Zomba13
Member
So after actually getting to play Mordor (borrowed the PS4 version off my cousin) I'm a few hours in, not too far in the story, mostly doing the collection and side stuff in each area first (which I assume the map so far is only the first half of the game). It's well made, fun and has that good kind of collection where there isn't too many things to get and it's pretty fast to get to them and do them.
So far, granted I'm not far in yet, the nemesis system doesn't seem all that great. Like, woo that guy that killed me got promoted and said something just before I killed him when he showed up again. Same with that other guy. I guess it gets better the further in you get or if you do some management and manipulation or something.
To me, so far, it seems like a well made game, good looking, no bugs yet, is fun etc but doesn't stand out as GOTY material. Like, Bayonetta 2 is just amazing all the way through and so fun, Mario Kart 8 is the best Mario Kart yet, Smash bros is Smash Bros in HD, Alien Isolation is the perfect (well, closest so far) Alien game.
Guess I'm just not feeling Mordor (then again I'm not really into LOTR and am fatigued on AC style open world games).
So far, granted I'm not far in yet, the nemesis system doesn't seem all that great. Like, woo that guy that killed me got promoted and said something just before I killed him when he showed up again. Same with that other guy. I guess it gets better the further in you get or if you do some management and manipulation or something.
To me, so far, it seems like a well made game, good looking, no bugs yet, is fun etc but doesn't stand out as GOTY material. Like, Bayonetta 2 is just amazing all the way through and so fun, Mario Kart 8 is the best Mario Kart yet, Smash bros is Smash Bros in HD, Alien Isolation is the perfect (well, closest so far) Alien game.
Guess I'm just not feeling Mordor (then again I'm not really into LOTR and am fatigued on AC style open world games).
You're right, I guess I'm more surprised that no one else on the bombcast calls him out on it other than the passing joke jab.
Basileus777
Member
You get more abilities to manipulate the system (which makes it easier), but I wouldn't say it gets better. I actually thought the beginning of the game was the best part of it.
I was thinking Mordor but after the Mordor discussion during the best debut bit, I feel nothing but Bayo 2 would really make sense. To be fair the GB awards have never made much sense. 
It's pretty obvious most of them haven't played enough games to really make a 'fair' judgement anyway, so I just listen to it more as a general discussion of games this year.
I hope in 2015 they make at least an effort to play whatever is on each other's top 10 lists.
It's pretty obvious most of them haven't played enough games to really make a 'fair' judgement anyway, so I just listen to it more as a general discussion of games this year.
I hope in 2015 they make at least an effort to play whatever is on each other's top 10 lists.
Yup. This all the way.
The vibes from the Day 3 podcast strongly suggest that Mordor will not take GOTY. It might just be Bayonetta 2.
Err, Jeff seemed way positive on Nintendo on Day Three (jabs at Captain Toad aside). I think you might have gotten the wrong jist of what he said here. Here's the transcript of what he said (assuming you're talking about his comments when they awarded the Wii U "Exclusive Library of the Year").
Then pretty much immediatly said:
So yeah, the 'Jeff hates anything Nintendo' meme seems to be a tad inaccurate to me.
Splatoon looks fucking amazing so I'm right there with Jeff.
It's not going to be Bayo 2 simply because the only person who might fight for it is Alex and the other two who played it* will shut him down for Mordor.
*I doubt Jason will jump into the Top 5 massacre pit.
Patrick has Bayo 2 as his number 1 game, and Alex seems like he thinks Mordor is OK, but not great.
Basileus777
Member
But Alex is worth .3 votes because he loves to capitulate.
Have we wandered back into the Best Drugs category again?
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What helps the case for Bayo 2 is that Dan has Mordor as GOTY and he has lost nearly every battle in these casts from day 1 and 2.
Sure, but the general vibe I got during the best debut bit is that most of them thought Mordor is good but not great and mostly interesting because of the Nemesis system.
Also, they've been pretty quiet on Bayo 2 so far, unless they give it something else like Best Moment or something.
I think after last year, Alex is itching to subtly slide in a dagger between a nomination's ribs.