Giant Bomb GOTY 2014 - Destiny Has Brought Us Here
- Thread starter daydream
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It's a bit too pure, for me. I would have liked a more comprehensive single player experience. It's still the same shit as Super Mario Kart.
chaobreaker
Member
Mario Kart DS once had this mission mode that was pretty cool. Would like to see something like that again.
what he said, these guys are so fucking likable. Half the games i dont know shit bout.
I think that was the rest of them respecting the merits of the good parts. Like how Dota got so high last year with no one else playing it beaides Brad.
another great GOTY... what a season, what a season...
Next year I kind of wish they would just do a Video Game Roast. Just hours of Jeff ranting on games would be awesome. I like serious game discussions, but sometimes its nice to just hear someone go off about a game they didn't like...
Also enjoyed the video recaps a lot. Dan showing why he was the perfect addition to the crew, and everyone getting their moment was great.
2014 wasn't a great year for games IMO but I enjoyed it anyway because of Giant Bomb. Looking forward to 2015, losing Patrick sucks, but things change, and that doesn't mean they have to get worse... a year ago if you told me my favorite content of 2014 would be Drew and Dan from Game Informer playing through Metal Gear games I wouldn't have believed you, but it was... can't wait to see what the crew does in 2015.
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Next year I kind of wish they would just do a Video Game Roast. Just hours of Jeff ranting on games would be awesome. I like serious game discussions, but sometimes its nice to just hear someone go off about a game they didn't like...
Also enjoyed the video recaps a lot. Dan showing why he was the perfect addition to the crew, and everyone getting their moment was great.
2014 wasn't a great year for games IMO but I enjoyed it anyway because of Giant Bomb. Looking forward to 2015, losing Patrick sucks, but things change, and that doesn't mean they have to get worse... a year ago if you told me my favorite content of 2014 would be Drew and Dan from Game Informer playing through Metal Gear games I wouldn't have believed you, but it was... can't wait to see what the crew does in 2015.
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Spirit of Jazz
Banned
The thing is Dota's an amazing game which did a lot of things no other games did as well at the time. Destiny's a terrible game with decent core mechanics. I feel Vinny or Alex should have nominated it for cutting right after Brad went in on The Fall.
I love how he keeps saying the core of the game is amazing and completely ignoring the fact that Destiny's encounter design is garbage for the most part. Good gunplay is pretty pointless when everything is a bullet sponge. Perhaps the end game content and DLC improves that aspect, otherwise the "good core gameplay" argument is useless.
I was looking forward to hearing Brad have to suffer through everyone telling him Destiny was not worthy of a top 10 list, but in the end I just felt bad for him. It seems like every year people are able to sneak a game that they personally love onto the list even without support as long as they are super passionate about it and clearly Brad is that about Destiny. I think Destiny is dog shit other than the shooting, and I find the statement that Brad kept tossing about it being GOTY if it just had more content to be utterly ridiculous considering the % of the content that is flat out bad in that game. Even still though, the dude is willing to stand up for the game he loved, no one else was doing that. I really like Divinity and Patrick did too, but he didn't fight for it and Drew through Wolfenstein under the bus.
I don't think so. With Dota the rest of the crew at least respected it was a good game that none of them tried or were very into.
With Destiny, they all played it, they all thought it was garbage. It shouldn't be on the top 10.
SteveWinwood
Member
dota is love
dota is life
dota is life
This just in!
Jeff's Tumblr said:
So yeah, it was just probably the rest of the guys, "giving" that to him.
Fantastical
Death Prophet
I found this really strange. Didn't Brad say (not exact) "I think Jeff and I would be pushing for this to be GOTY if it had more content." I was under the impression Jeff felt there were more objectionable things to Destiny than just the amount of content.
Jeff's main issue was with the content. Keep in mind talking about 'content' is incredibly vague. Is having to do the same mission over and over a 'content' problem or a 'game design' problem? Was having the best experience in the game inside an end-game raid a design problem, or a content (in that why weren't there more raid-like events earlier) problem?
Those are the things Jeff stated having a problem with. They're not minor issues, though, but how do you reconcile those with really liking the everything else?
skLaFarebear
Member
This was day 2 so late, but listening to Giant Bomb's GOTY for story and Jeff quietly dropping Drakengard 3 only to get laughed at breaks my heart ;___;
At least it got a name drop. And Brad is right, the story is batshit insane. Even more so than the Senator.
At least it got a name drop. And Brad is right, the story is batshit insane. Even more so than the Senator.
He was totally dropping it sarcastically, too. Sorry... especially with your scary Pitou avatar, don't hurt me.
I did see some video of Drakengard 3 and I think despite its faults I would absolutely dig playing through that game someday.
call_kotaku
Member
From all I've heard about Drakengard, it sounds like Drakengard is to storytelling what Destiny is to compelling content
EmCeeGramr
Member
Drakengard 1 (and maybe 3, I dunno) is totally effective storytelling.
That is not to say it is an pleasant or satisfying story, but it is effective for what it is trying to do.
ShockingAlberto
Member
Yeah, Drakengard 3's story is fine. Actually really different, too.
The game part, though, woof.
The game part, though, woof.
skLaFarebear
Member
lol
But its actually a great experience if anything. And the way it ties into Drakengard 1 and Nier without explicity giving any details about it is amazing. I love it to death, even if its one of the biggest technical messes I've seen of recent. But hey at least it ran and never crashed. That's way more you can say for a few games this year.
Conventional JPRG storytelling maybe? The game has a very well written story, but the series is a deconstruction of the genre so if it seems completely weird (and even at times mediocre) and nothing makes sense, its because its extremely weird and makes little sense, except when it makes so much sense. Its so hard to describe, but bland is definitely not the word to describe it. The gameplay however, is bland.
Tainted
Member
Jeff certainly didn't object when that point was raised.
Basileus777
Member
Drakengard 3's writing was really disappointing. If that had been good it would have made trudging through the awful gameplay worth it. The whole game was a real bummer.
Spirit of Jazz
Banned
Listening to the podcast now my favourite defence of Destiny right now is that Legendaries don't exist in Diablo. Jesus Christ.
To be honest I'm really confused why why the shooting is considered better than that in Wolfenstein, which is obviously the better but less addictive game of the two.
To be honest I'm really confused why why the shooting is considered better than that in Wolfenstein, which is obviously the better but less addictive game of the two.
skLaFarebear
Member
Personally, I didn't think it was disappointing. It never reached the height of craziness that was Drakengard 1, or the emotional levels of Nier, but it still had its strong moments, its own charm, and it even gave us a lot of answers that Drakengard 1 and Nier left (but still even more questions).
Just the fact alone the game exists, and even brought to the US was amazing in itself and we got a decent product out of it.
Mushroomer25
Member
Brad played the conversation beautifully, with a seemingly unintentional assist from Vinny. After Dan & Alex argued about Mario Kart & Jazzpunk (games they BOTH like, for the record) - Vinny put a stop to the conversation by simply saying they both deserved a spot. This set the precedent for a game (specially MK8) getting a spot entirely due to one impassioned opinion. In steps Brad. He knows Destiny. He knows he can have a louder voice than anyone else at the table. It's just a matter of beating Patrick with Divinity, and Drew with Wolfenstein. Drew failed to really step up for his game, and a fair deal of the table didn't even play Divinity. A cakewalk.
I was almost positive they were going to dump Destiny altogether when he tried to push it past #10, though.
Pretty sure this was recorded before the dlc so Brad was defending it based on what everyone played of it. Brad even said that he was excited to play the dlc at one point.
Spirit of Jazz
Banned
I think Divinity and Wolfenstein were much better games than the majority of the games in the top 10 including number 1. I mean I liked Jazzpunk but saying it's superior to either of those two is fucking nuts.
Okay now Jeff's "If you remove the mobility option's it's just Ghosts!" comment was the worst part of the cast given how hard he fought for the game. Cod, Farcry, Hearthstone, and Mordor were way too high. At the end I think Patrick and Alex (outside of his Jazzpunk madness) put forth the best arguments of the cast even if they didn't fight for their games as hard as others.
Drakengard 1 by all means was a protest game against violence by making you sick of it by the time you were done, by pummeling you with repetition of killing, the designed repetition of the music, the increased levity of the things you killed as the game progressed, the incredible darkness of the game and characters you encounter. Nier attempted to elicit the same reaction by giving more meaning to the things you killed, and was more successful because it was not as obtuse as D1 and had more approachable characters.
D3 I think does this the least of the games, but it takes that same concept from an entirely different perspective this time.
Yoko Taro, the series director has always apparently been extremely abhorrent of violence in games (or at least the way it's treated as a goal or triumph in general), and he considers all of his games to have been failures at getting his point across. I'd somewhat agree because most people just see the series in a strictly mechanical sense, a "hey that baby part was pretty crazy! this game is so weird and the gameplay is pretty bad" sense when overall the games are trying execute something thematically over the entire package.
Nier definitely hit closest to the mark, but apparently Yoko Taro thinks he did not solve any of the questions he asked in making that game, so he trudges onward trying to figure it out while constantly apologizing to people who don't like his games on twitter (which is pretty hilarious and kind of sad).
D3 I think does this the least of the games, but it takes that same concept from an entirely different perspective this time.
Yoko Taro, the series director has always apparently been extremely abhorrent of violence in games (or at least the way it's treated as a goal or triumph in general), and he considers all of his games to have been failures at getting his point across. I'd somewhat agree because most people just see the series in a strictly mechanical sense, a "hey that baby part was pretty crazy! this game is so weird and the gameplay is pretty bad" sense when overall the games are trying execute something thematically over the entire package.
Nier definitely hit closest to the mark, but apparently Yoko Taro thinks he did not solve any of the questions he asked in making that game, so he trudges onward trying to figure it out while constantly apologizing to people who don't like his games on twitter (which is pretty hilarious and kind of sad).
PS: I fucking love Pitou, I felt she got robbed.
But yeah, I'd love to play the Drakengarde games. It feels like they have that flawed but fun vibe to them. I recently bought Nier used and was stoked to play it only to get home and realize it doesn't work with a PS4 controller (game doesn't recognize L2/R2) and my PS3 controller is busted. So I haven't been able to play it.
Some day I'll find a PS3 controller for cheap and I will play Nier. IT WILL HAPPEN.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
You missed the part where you need the DLC to play the game now. Which basically makes Destiny an MMO where you pay 20 bucks every three months for the privilege of playing the same 2 missions over and over again. lol
And now you need RNG for Scrota's End just to get level 32 gear. It's the exact same thing, Level 31 is the new Level 29. In a few months they're going to add 2 to all these numbers and a new raid will replace the current one as the only piece of content worth playing.
Brad is defending the Destiny that exists in a parallel universe in which loot in other games willed itself into existence without the designers' knowledge. He's a video game creationist.
BreezyLimbo
Banned
I feel Destiny would be perfect if it had a sort of arena/endless mode. Something where your loot is finally useful, where it's a real test of skill.
That's a long shot away unfortunately.
That's a long shot away unfortunately.
ShockingAlberto
Member
Ryan suddenly sided with him despite not playing Skyrim for more than half an hour
To this day, I'll never understand that, he loved Saints Row more than anyone
Metroidvania
People called Romanes they go the house?
I have to admit I laughed when Brad tried to (jokingly, I know) raise Destiny above spot #10, and Drew's response of "not without bloodshed".
I know Brad got into it hard, and likes that sort of game (at least, going off of previous years), but hearing it come right in after the previous day's laydown by Jeff, it seems...odd, especially with everyone else's ambivalence or actual stated dislike of the promise versus the reality of what the game was like for that initial time period.
Then again, I didn't mind DA:I's fetch quests the first time through (though I definitely would take issue with them playing a second time), so just difference of opinion, I guess. I suppose, with that many dudes, it comes down to championing a game or two, and letting other people get their opinion in as well. If nothing else, I owe Brad big for Crypt of the Necrodancer on the 24 hour stream.
I'd definitely be down for a GotG cast, but I don't think there's any real way they could come to a consensus. Maybe a top 10/20 GotG list, tho.
I know Brad got into it hard, and likes that sort of game (at least, going off of previous years), but hearing it come right in after the previous day's laydown by Jeff, it seems...odd, especially with everyone else's ambivalence or actual stated dislike of the promise versus the reality of what the game was like for that initial time period.
Then again, I didn't mind DA:I's fetch quests the first time through (though I definitely would take issue with them playing a second time), so just difference of opinion, I guess. I suppose, with that many dudes, it comes down to championing a game or two, and letting other people get their opinion in as well. If nothing else, I owe Brad big for Crypt of the Necrodancer on the 24 hour stream.
I'd definitely be down for a GotG cast, but I don't think there's any real way they could come to a consensus. Maybe a top 10/20 GotG list, tho.
Basileus777
Member
It was some weird thing about respectability, with a game like Skyrim being more worthy of GOTY than a comedic romp like Saints Row. Giant Bomb giving GOTY to a sterile, safe choice has a history, so Mordor is nothing new.
I don't get why so many people have such a hate on for Brad and Destiny. The funny thing is that, there are a bunch of stats posted earlier in the thread that tell the tale as to what really happened this year.
Wolfenstein got robbed, but it wasn't by Destiny.
I ran the numbers myself. Depending on how you weight the votes from the staff personal top ten lists, the games that should fall off are Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (in most scenarios) or Shovel Knight (only if votes are heavily weighted). Destiny always shows up in the top ten, no matter how you look at it.
So go ahead and complain about Brad's filibuster, but the real villain in this year's GOTY was Jeff.
Wolfenstein got robbed, but it wasn't by Destiny.
I ran the numbers myself. Depending on how you weight the votes from the staff personal top ten lists, the games that should fall off are Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (in most scenarios) or Shovel Knight (only if votes are heavily weighted). Destiny always shows up in the top ten, no matter how you look at it.
So go ahead and complain about Brad's filibuster, but the real villain in this year's GOTY was Jeff.
and conspicuously so
much in the vein of his number 1, jeff was basically the kevin spacey of gotycasts this year
vinny also made some stuff happen
call_kotaku
Member
I'm not salty about any of their picks, and neither of my favorite 2013 games got anywhere close to the list last year, but man, Brad's ruthlessness is something to behold. He'll always get his game in there, no matter the cost
Is Revolver Ocelot calling Jeff while the credits roll?
Is Revolver Ocelot calling Jeff while the credits roll?
This is true. Jeff's heel turn was amazing. Thinking how much he complained about Destiny and that rant he had about it for most disappointing game and the fact that he said having a game that almost won most disappointing game ending up in the top 10 would be bad and then starting say "well I think destiny can go on this list" is truly amazing.
Spirit of Jazz
Banned
I think Jeff's take on Destiny was the weirdest thing on the cast. It was fucking depressing that he considered a thing he castigated previous, something he never really justified his like for beyond "the shooting's better than Halo...." (which means what?) To be more worthy of a top 10 spot than games other people on the cast genuinely enjoyed.
I previously ignored people who said that Jeff was too jaded about games, but after that shit show I think they might just have a point.