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[B.O.O.M]

Wonder how the guys at ND are reacting to it...

 

[wapplew]

The last guardian in it, list is legit.
Thumper too.

 

[Eolz]

So for those that didn't click the link, here's the individual GOTY lists they picked those choices from:
Kris Graft (include Thumper, Rez Infinite, NMS, TLG, Doom...)
Alex Wawro (include Deus Ex, Dragon Quest Builders, Firewatch, TF2, Tyranny...)
Bryant Francis (include Hyper Light Drifter, Owlboy, TF2, Tyranny, Witcher 3 B&W...)
Katherine Cross (includes Civ VI, Ladykiller in a bind, SWTOR, VA11 HALL-A...)
Chris Baker (includes Abzu, Inside, Pokemon Go, Uncharted 4...)
Alissa McAloon (includes Digimon Cyber Sleuth, Pokemon S&M, Stardew Valley, TMS#FE, WD2...)
Chris Kerr (includes BF1, The Division, NMS, Quantum Break, Reigns, UC4...)
Phill Cameron (includes Battlerite, Dishonored 2, Mini Metro, R6 Siege, Stephen's Sausage Roll...)
(and Brandon Sheffield who made a list of his top 5 indie games from 2016 not made in the USA)

Their own lists are super varied, they just had to make a final top 10 after putting all their lists there. It's not that the final list is somehow superior or anything like that.

 

[More_Badass]

So for those that didn't click the link, here's the individual GOTY lists they picked those choices from:
(and Brandon Sheffield who made a list of his top 5 indie games from 2016 not made in the USA)

Their own lists are super varied, they just had to make a final top 10 after putting all their lists there. It's not that the final list is somehow superior or anything like that.

Wow, I can't believe I missed this
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/missing-game-for-cause/id1161113559?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.MissingLinkTrust.Missing

Missing is a flawed, but very interesting game. It's about young girls being sold into prostitution – you play as the young girl. It's made by a solo dev in India, with input from former sex workers, with the intention of raising awareness of the plight of women sold into prostitution.

 

[InsaneTiger]

I don't know about only redeeming part. I think the gunplay is good, melee finishers feel great and driving especially with simulated setting is a blast. I don't think story would had been enough for me to complete the game with the repetitive structure, but good gameplay makes up for it. That being said, it probably wont just quite get in my TOP 10 of the year.

I don't really play mobile games at all. But whenever I go and visit my mother I play Clash Royale on her phone, it's really fun and especially addictive.

Except that the melee finishers on the bosses are all exactly the same. Just a boring game to play.

 

[boingball]

Surprised to see Mafia III in there, but it is also in mine.

And I guess Last Guardian for all its flaws will be viewed much better over time then the initial reviews suggested.

 

[hydruxo]

Yeah, I know it's short.

Maybe I should use my words better. It's more like I need to be in the right head-space to fully enjoy Firewatch.

I don't need to be sold on the game or anything. I was into the concept (LOVED Gone Home) and dev (LOVE Idle Thumbs) well before release.

It's just...I haven't been in the mood for this type of game in a long time. I've been pretty obsessed with systems-driven titles of late (RimWorld, Farming Sim, Software Inc., CK2, etc.).

I'll get there eventually. And I'm sure I'll LOVE it.

I feel you man, I'm the same way with Firewatch. I know it's a game I'll enjoy but I just can't bring myself to sit down and play it.

 

[More_Badass]

Surprised to see Mafia III in there, but it is also in mine.

And I guess Last Guardian for all its flaws will be viewed much better over time then the initial reviews suggested.

It was very well received by reviews though

 

[entremet]

Glad to see no Uncharted 4.

 

[TimeEffect]

I can totally agree with this conclusion. Like 100% agree.

Cant agree at all about "unintuitive level design"

What does that even mean? There are so many parts that feel so cleverly designed. On top of all that, everything in the game is within such a compact area, and it's just remarkable.

There are parts where I was amazed at how brilliant the level design was, particularly when you're stuck in the cage and climbing vertically to take out one of the glass wards.


And the camera was not awful. Definitely not the best, but not awful

 

[Voysa Reezun]

These GotY lists reveal that 2016 was weird for me. For example, I recognize that Thumper is objectively a well-made game, but man, I was super-disappointed by it. The aesthetics, especially the music, gives me a massive headache. I hate those things about it.

I've played most of the games on that list, and most of them are objectively strong, but I'd not have most of them on a top-ten list for my own personal taste. 2015 was overflowing with games I loved, but 2016 has a bunch of games that I wanted to like, wish I liked, and understand why other people like them.

 

[Dalibor68]

Would a list without Titanfall, Dark Souls, Overwatch, Uncharted, Doom, Deus Ex, Dishonored, and so on count as featuring weird omissions?

Well yes because those (along with some others) were the most acclaimed games of this year so it's weird to me to see them missing while something like Mafia 3 makes the cut. Of course it's all their choice but I think I'm also free to comment on their pickings.

 

[More_Badass]

Well yes because those (along with some others) were the most acclaimed games of this year so it's weird to me to see them missing while something like Mafia 3 makes the cut. Of course it's all their choice but I think I'm also free to comment on their pickings.

But acclaim doesn't mean much for individual GOTY lists, because such a list is defined by what that person played and what they like or dislike, not what everyone else says is good or the best.

A GOTY list decided by the most acclaim is a Metacritic top ten

 

[Primethius]

lol

--

Glad to see TLG make the list.

 

[pixellated_man]

Glad to see no Uncharted 4.

Do you guys have to bring up Uncharted 4, even when it's not on the list thread is created to discuss?
We get it - you hate the game. Just tiring to read about it in every single top 10 list.

 

[More_Badass]

So for those that didn't click the link, here's the individual GOTY lists they picked those choices from:
Kris Graft (include Thumper, Rez Infinite, NMS, TLG, Doom...)
Alex Wawro (include Deus Ex, Dragon Quest Builders, Firewatch, TF2, Tyranny...)
Bryant Francis (include Hyper Light Drifter, Owlboy, TF2, Tyranny, Witcher 3 B&W...)
Katherine Cross (includes Civ VI, Ladykiller in a bind, SWTOR, VA11 HALL-A...)
Chris Baker (includes Abzu, Inside, Pokemon Go, Uncharted 4...)
Alissa McAloon (includes Digimon Cyber Sleuth, Pokemon S&M, Stardew Valley, TMS#FE, WD2...)
Chris Kerr (includes BF1, The Division, NMS, Quantum Break, Reigns, UC4...)
Phill Cameron (includes Battlerite, Dishonored 2, Mini Metro, R6 Siege, Stephen's Sausage Roll...)
(and Brandon Sheffield who made a list of his top 5 indie games from 2016 not made in the USA)

Their own lists are super varied, they just had to make a final top 10 after putting all their lists there. It's not that the final list is somehow superior or anything like that.

Added this to the OT, and highlighted some of the lesser-known recommendations

Three of my favorites below. If you're looking for a fantastic, deep, unique roguelike, you can't go wrong with Michael Brough's Imbroglio. Seriously, if you think mobile is just F2P and Clash of Clan rip offs, Imbroglio is the kind of simple-to-play-but-deeper-than-it-seems game that you find a lot on mobile

Stephen''s Sausage Roll

The tragedy of Stephen’s Sausage Roll, and what makes it perhaps the best puzzle game I’ve ever played, is that it believes that I am smarter than I am. That doesn’t mean it just throws horribly hard puzzles at me and expects me to solve them, but instead, like the beast teachers, it creates an environment where I am subconsciously massaged towards the solution. No hand holding, no slow ramp of practice puzzles before introducing a new concept.

Imbroglio

I sampled a lot of mobile games this year--hello Clash Royale--but this is the one that I spent the most time with. Every time I launched it, I promised myself that I would try to play it with critical distance, so that I could appreciate the brilliant minimalist design. But I kept getting so wrapped up in trying to defeat my foes and extend the length of my play sessions that I forgot to apply rigorous critical analysis. In honor of the ingenious simplicity of Michael Brough's formula, I will simply say: it is good.

Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor

For many people, games are safe spaces. Places where you can be safely challenged, safely scared, safely thrilled. I don't fully understand (yet) what Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor is "about", but I love it as a space where I can feel safely bewildered. Everything about this game -- from the janitor you guide to the characters you meet to the places you go -- is charming, colorful, and utterly confounding in the best way.

 

[More_Badass]

These GotY lists reveal that 2016 was weird for me. For example, I recognize that Thumper is objectively a well-made game, but man, I was super-disappointed by it. The aesthetics, especially the music, gives me a massive headache. I hate those things about it.

I've played most of the games on that list, and most of them are objectively strong, but I'd not have most of them on a top-ten list for my own personal taste. 2015 was overflowing with games I loved, but 2016 has a bunch of games that I wanted to like, wish I liked, and understand why other people like them.

Nothing weird about that. GOTY lists are just representations of likes and dislikes

 

[Voysa Reezun]

Nothing weird about that. GOTY lists are just representations of likes and dislikes

Oh, of course. By "weird," I simply mean to say that 2016 was a down year for me that I initially did not expect to be a down year, and what's stranger is that I feel like I should have liked more games than I did from this calendar year. I'm glad to see that so many other people loved 2016, though.

 

[Messofanego]

Wow, I can't believe I missed this
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/missing-game-for-cause/id1161113559?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.MissingLinkTrust.Missing

Missing is a flawed, but very interesting game. It's about young girls being sold into prostitution – you play as the young girl. It's made by a solo dev in India, with input from former sex workers, with the intention of raising awareness of the plight of women sold into prostitution.

That sounds very interesting. Just installed it. More games seem to be coming out of India, very cool.

 

[Aaron D.]

So for those that didn't click the link, here's the individual GOTY lists they picked those choices from:
Kris Graft (include Thumper, Rez Infinite, NMS, TLG, Doom...)
Alex Wawro (include Deus Ex, Dragon Quest Builders, Firewatch, TF2, Tyranny...)
Bryant Francis (include Hyper Light Drifter, Owlboy, TF2, Tyranny, Witcher 3 B&W...)
Katherine Cross (includes Civ VI, Ladykiller in a bind, SWTOR, VA11 HALL-A...)
Chris Baker (includes Abzu, Inside, Pokemon Go, Uncharted 4...)
Alissa McAloon (includes Digimon Cyber Sleuth, Pokemon S&M, Stardew Valley, TMS#FE, WD2...)
Chris Kerr (includes BF1, The Division, NMS, Quantum Break, Reigns, UC4...)
Phill Cameron (includes Battlerite, Dishonored 2, Mini Metro, R6 Siege, Stephen's Sausage Roll...)
(and Brandon Sheffield who made a list of his top 5 indie games from 2016 not made in the USA)

Their own lists are super varied, they just had to make a final top 10 after putting all their lists there. It's not that the final list is somehow superior or anything like that.

Good gravy this collection of lists is so much more interesting than the original (Duskers, Stephen's Sausage Roll, Imbroglio).

Which makes perfect sense as it was collected by individuals and not designed by committee.

I also learned that I need to check out Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor stat.