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[Exterminieren]

Man, Bayonetta 2 just cannot stop generating controversy, can it?

Didn't get round to voting, but nice to see Nintendo get some recognition for the quality they put out this year.

 

[Kouriozan]

I'm a bit late and didn't even vote, couldn't decide to rank those great games we got last year.
Kinda surprised to see Bayonetta 2 winning, but she deserves it.
Great game that almost never existed, hoping to see more of this IP one day or another.

 

[Crash Station]

What's with the passive-aggressive justification for why something won? It's not like Gaf is the norm here. We'll probably be back to a more mainstream AAA title winning next year. Just let us "niche gamers" have one victory and that'll be it.

 

[The Xtortionist]

Smash was something of a pain for me to tackle in a similar vein, it was a tough one to think of what to say seeing that its one of those games I love yet know could still be handled a fair bit better. Effectively better Brawl with more characters which makes for a fine game but not one that I have much to say about that isn't already well tackled by simply having played previous entries.
Sometimes Xtortionist you just gotta dig deep to think of particular reasons why the game resonated with you, for instance Smash Wii U does finally let me and my best friend who I've been battling with and against since SSB64 finally play as a team online together on the same console and that's something small that I could've used as an angle to springboard from now I think about it.

I suppose's Smash's online would have been the crux of the game for me as well, though it's still praising functional online in a 2014 video game

Like, the core of my thoughts on Tropical Freeze are basically that the roll jump is basically Bayonetta's dodge offset - potentially a completely invisible mechanic that players are not punished for ignoring, that also happens to utterly transform the gameplay experience once mastered. Hardly an original thought, but one I feel strongly about. I think it hits especially hard for me because while stuff like dodge offset and numerous other tricks are things I expect from character action games, usually platformers don't have mechanics that come out of nowhere to shatter the game's perceived skill ceiling. Again, not originally my idea, but I feel it has some substance to it (and I could include a visual aid!)

Really wish I could have said the above for Returns in the 2010 thread. My join date is apparently 2010, though I'm unsure if that's before or after approval. If I simply missed the boat, that's a damn shame.

Random fun fact - Neiteio and I were the only people that used the word "pervasive" in their ballots (that's how I found my post)

 

[SaintMadeOfPlaster]

What's with the passive-aggressive justification for why something won? It's not like Gaf is the norm here. We'll probably be back to a more mainstream AAA title winning next year. Just let us "niche gamers" have one victory and that'll be it.

I'm getting the impression that people are more angry that a Nintendo published game won (the top 3 as well), and that it's much less about it being Bayonetta in general.

If Bayonetta 2 was a PS4 or Xbox One exclusive, we all know there would be much less controversy. These awards are really showing some of GAF's immaturity.

 

[Nocturnowl]

I suppose's Smash's online would have been the crux of the game for me as well, though it's still praising functional online in a 2014 video game

Well better late than never right? yeah when you put it like that it doesn't sound great.

Like, the core of my thoughts on Tropical Freeze are basically that the roll jump is basically Bayonetta's dodge offset - potentially a completely invisible mechanic that players are not punished for ignoring, that also happens to utterly transform the gameplay experience once mastered. Hardly an original thought, but one I feel strongly about. I think it hits especially hard for me because while stuff like dodge offset and numerous other tricks are things I expect from character action games, usually platformers don't have mechanics that come out of nowhere to shatter the game's perceived skill ceiling. Again, not originally my idea, but I feel it has some substance to it (and I could include a visual aid!)

Really wish I could have said the above for Returns in the 2010 thread. My join date is apparently 2010, though I'm unsure if that's before or after approval. If I simply missed the boat, that's a damn shame.

Random fun fact - Neiteio and I were the only people that used the word "pervasive" in their ballots (that's how I found my post)

I just about missed the 2010 vote myself and that was a strong year for me.
Well that's one way to find your post.
Hang on that extra text in your post wasn't there last time I checked, just when I thought I was done reading that thread.

 

[Yagharek]

I'm pretty sure I'm one of the 22 people who only voted for Nintendo system games this year. Reason being I dont have enough free time to justify any more systems at this point in time. So obviously most games I played were on either Wii U or 3ds. I didnt buy much for my ps3 or vita last year.

 

[Neiteio]

If I had done a write-up for Smash, I would've praised the massive and diverse character lineup, and how extraordinarily well-balanced the roster is, with all ~50 characters being competitively viable.

 

[Hoje0308]

Man, fuck this list! I'm so pissed off right now, knowing that the console with all those great games is the only 8th gen system I don't yet own. On the bright side, at least I'll be able to get some sweet deals on them when I pick up a Wii U and Zelda.

Seriously though, calm down, salty GAF. My GOTY was Driveclub, which didn't exactly get the best reviews. Luckily, my enjoyment isn't affected by the opinions of others, whether they come in the form of a written review or a vote among members of an internet forum. I know it must sound awful to some of you, but it's actually really cool. I promise.

 

[KorrZ]

Let's just say it's not "Wii U fans" that look insecure in this thread.

This was a great year for games, and Bayonetta 2 is a fantastic game.

.

Ehhh...I'd say that is very debatable. Especially if you don't own a Wii U which was the case for me. This is the first year since I joined GAF where I couldn't even be bothered to fill out a ballot.

 

[His Majesty]

I don't own a Wii U and it was one of the best years in a long time.

 

[The Xtortionist]

I just about missed the 2010 vote myself and that was a strong year for me.
Well that's one way to find your post.
Hang on that extra text in your post wasn't there last time I checked, just when I thought I was done reading that thread.

I believe I edited it twice - once to add a detailed write-up for DK, and again to fix a typo. The idea to use a screenshot showing exactly how and why the roll jump is so significant really springboarded everything else. That was the "eureka" moment I couldn't muster up for other games.

edit - I also added GOTF Captain Toad at number 9, knocking out Mordor. Destiny had to stay ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

If I had done a write-up for Smash, I would've praised the massive and diverse character lineup, and how extraordinarily well-balanced the roster is, with all ~50 characters being competitively viable.

It remains to be seen how the roster will hold up in competitive play, though I will say that Smash 4 has the greatest number of characters I enjoy using, and several of those characters are ones I disliked in previous games (Samus, Mario, Game and Watch). Sakurai and Namco really did a great job making damn near everyone feel great.

 

[hawk2025]

Happy to see some of my favorites getting some nice representation:

Bayonetta 2
Driveclub
Sunset overdrive
Shovel Knight


Nice voting, GAF.

 

[Jachaos]

I voted Smash #1 and had MK8 on my ballot and didn't gave my top-5 placement to broken games. I loved the Danganronpa games, Persona Q, InFamous and many more. There's great games that came out this year, just fewer great mainstream AAA games than last year. I voted TLoU, GTA V, Bioshock Infinite in 2013. This year though, Nintendo put out the best of the AAA games and indies and smaller pubs had many gems too. If you feel the list doesn't represent your point of view of reality, it sure represented what I saw as this year's landscape.

I believe I edited it twice - once to add a detailed write-up for DK, and again to fix a typo. The idea to use a screenshot showing exactly how and why the roll jump is so significant really springboarded everything else. That was the "eureka" moment I couldn't muster up for other games.



It remains to be seen how the roster will hold up in competitive play, though I will say that Smash 4 has the greatest number of characters I enjoy using, and several of those characters are ones I disliked in previous games (Samus, Mario, Game and Watch). Sakurai and Namco really did a great job making damn near everyone feel great.

Before I only played Pikachu and Ike in Brawl. I often did random and played every character, but those two were the only ones I was seriously using. Now, I go form Pikachu to Peach to Zelda to Jigglypuff to Lucina to Game&Watch to Kirby etc. and I love playing with all of them in For Glory. So many characters that feel great in my case.

 

[Riposte]

Did the new Pokemon games make less of a splash than X/Y?

 

[bathsalts]

my only holdup is actually on the pc side of things. otherwise i've actually been working on the ruleset and trying to get everything as close to done as possible. really, the range is pretty much set as starting in 1998, when the dreamcast launched, but i don't know if i should extend it to 2004 or 2005. 2004 makes more sense to me, since the next year saw pc games that were mostly ported to ps360wii generation, where the 1998-2004 stuff was mostly on the generation prior.

i would even allow ports of old games as long as they were the first time those games would have been experienced. could the gc version of resident evil 2 been someone's favorite game? sure. no reason to leave it out.

i don't think it's likely for those kinds of games to receive a lion's share of support though.

I look forward to shaking my head at games like kotor, halo and gta 3 being ranked over deus ex, system shock 2, baldurs gate 2, diablo 2 and planescape.

 

[Steel]

I look forward to shaking my head at games like kotor, halo and gta 3 being ranked over deus ex, system shock 2, baldurs gate 2, diablo 2 and planescape.

What are you talking about? Warcraft III beats all those games easily and it's probably gonna get out voted by all the things you just listed, including the CRPGs simply because people are so rpg-focused.

 

[Nocturnowl]

Did the new Pokemon games make less of a splash than X/Y?

I'd say so (X/Y ranked in at 11, the newer games here at 43) but it's to be expected seeing that they're remakes of a set of games that seem to divide opinion more than previous remade games while X/Y were also the beginning of a new generation of games as well as bringing the handheld entries into 3D much more fully which garnered more attention.
Personally with Omega Ruby I hit my burn out point with the formula after its annualisation since Platinum so perhaps that's also a factor here as well.

 

[The Xtortionist]

I'd say so (X/Y ranked in at 11, the newer games here at 43) but it's to be expected seeing that they're remakes of a set of games that seem to divide opinion more than previous remade games while X/Y were also the beginning of a new generation of games as well as bringing the handheld entries into 3D much more fully which garnered more attention.
Personally with Omega Ruby I hit my burn out point with the formula after its annualisation since Platinum so perhaps that's also a factor here as well.

Did they address the issue of way too many fucking Mightyenas with Intimidate

 

[Nocturnowl]

Did they address the issue of way too many fucking Mightyenas with Intimidate

Well I only made it about halfway through at the point where Mightyena first starts turning up in battles but going by the repetitive selection of Team Magma's pokemon so far and a ton of Poochyena I'm guessing that they did not address this.
For whatever reason the Pokemon remakes tend to not be so good at fixing the things I think they should be fixing.

 

[Ondore]

Only about half of the Mightyena have Intimidate, though.

 

[Chezzymann]

Was there ever an official Game of the Generaiton awards here?

 

[Ralemont]

After reviewing the results, I'm glad Dragon Age ended up getting as much love as it did. From the shithouse to Top 5 is a pretty impressive feat for a series. It was my GOTY and based on how many #1 votes it got I see a lot of folks agreed.

That being said, holy hell is the Wii U the bigger story here. Bayonetta 2 in particular shining even with let's call it "okay" sales.

Also Divinity making the Top 20 despite being a niche PC exclusive.

Call me crazy but I think this has been a great year. In a year when almost every AAA game disappointed the rest of the industry picked up the slack.

 

[ChaosXVI]

Oh damn, looks like I forgot to vote again...but damn very happy with the results. I knew there had to be a reason my Wii U was played so actively this year with my PS4 collecting so much dust.

Also VERY surprised to see DKC:TF hit 6th place, as it didn't seem like a game that was popular among many people here. Guess we are just a very vocal minority. It's my personal GOTY. Nintendo owned it last year, and 2015 looks to be just as good.

 

[matm666]

I feel so ashamed for owning a Wii U and still havent played DK Tropical Freeze!

 

[Jachaos]

Was there ever an official Game of the Generaiton awards here?

Not yet

 

[Ploid 3.0]

I like that the mods allow a page or two of saltiness before dropping the banhammer so everyone can have a good laugh at the expense of the haters before they're removed.

It's like fishing with a net, it's inefficient reeling them in for 1 or 3 fish, wait until they signal to their like minded buddies that Club Net is safe and it's a awesome place to be.

 

[Thunder Monkey]

Work something out Ani!

Sounds like fun.

And this year just kind of cements how different GAF opinion can be from the masses at large. I love that we can be very different. It's always a trip when it happens.

And good on Nintendo.

They did have a damn good year release wise. But it definitely didn't translate to anything tangible.

Still I've gotten hundreds of hours out of their little handheld this past year.

So good on them.

 

[RadarScope1]

When I was writing my own list I thought, "this was so much easier last year" but now seeing the results , 2014 was a disappointing year. Let's hope 2015 brings better games for our shiny new consoles.

Seems Nintendo fans are GAF's GOP. They get out and vote when it counts....despite being wrong about everything. I kid, congrats to Bayonetta2. That is the only game I actually want to play in the top 20 (that I haven't played yet). Got to love those Driveclub pity votes. That game is so much worse than I imagined. Biggest regret purchase of 2014.

This post reminded me of something I forgot to post on this thread:

Congrats to DriveClub breaking into the final spot on the list. Great game, which will only get better now that the launch issues are fixed and the DLC is rolling out. I hope more people discover it during 2015.

 

[AniHawk]

er....so when do you plan to get that thing rolling then

i will be gone from february 19 through the 22 and if i got started on this, i'd like to set it up for a month. i was actually going to do it last week, but i forgot voting for the goty thread was still underway and didn't want to screw up that timing either. if the mods are fine with it, i was thinking about setting it up for january 26 and have it run to february 27, with the results being posted that next day.

unlike cheesemeister/timetokill's style, mine would be in the old way i used to run the goty threads and how i did the revote threads. so... considerably less cool and with different weighting (and slightly different rules)

Random question, what about cross gen games? Stuff that was either on PS1/PS2 or PS2/Xbox 360? Whilst I doubt those games will be high on "Games of the generation" lists, I'm just curious as to how those will be handled.

right. so my thinking is that if that's how you first enjoyed a game and thought that that particular version was the one you thought was representing the generation best, then by all means vote for it. for example, i only bought the guitar hero games on the ps2. i would count guitar hero iii as a ps2 game because that's what i played it on, even though it was also on newer platforms. if someone thought fifa 13 was an incredible ps2 game, i won't stand in their way of voting for it. same goes for rayman 2. if you liked the dreamcast game, or the ps2 remix, then it's perfectly valid.

what i wouldn't want to happen is if someone voted resident evil 2 for dreamcast and then other people started thinking that resident evil 2 was eligible no matter what platform.

Eh, I'm not sure about 1998 for PC. I mean, you can do what you want, I see why you'd want to start that early, but it's tricky. Games like Age of Empires 2 and Planescape Torment were released as late as 1999, and I don't traditionally see games like that being talked about in reference to gen 6.

good point. i think 2000 might be another good starting point in that it's the year the ps2 launched (sorry dreamcast). maybe 2000-2005 would be a better range instead for pc.

 

[jello44]

Man, fuck this list! I'm so pissed off right now, knowing that the console with all those great games is the only 8th gen system I don't yet own. On the bright side, at least I'll be able to get some sweet deals on them when I pick up a Wii U and Zelda.

Seriously though, calm down, salty GAF. My GOTY was Driveclub, which didn't exactly get the best reviews. Luckily, my enjoyment isn't affected by the opinions of others, whether they come in the form of a written review or a vote among members of an internet forum. I know it must sound awful to some of you, but it's actually really cool. I promise.

My Brother.

 

[Aarglefarg]

Bravely Default would have won in the 3DS category if it didn't have the staggered release between regions. It was just 6 points behind first place this year when it got 79 points last year.

 

[GSG Flash]

Bayonetta deserves GAF GOTY. Don't agree with MK8 at 2(should have been lower), DA:I at 4(should have been lower) and Mordor at 9(should have been higher). Wolfenstein shouldn't have even been in the top 10 at all IMO

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

i would like to head up a game of the generation vote for the dc/ps2/gba/gc/xbox era. it's a complete generation now and the ds/psp/360/wii/ps3 era is not. there's still stuff coming out for those platforms this year.

plus i think it's too soon. for instance, if we did the goty for the ps2 generation in 2007, we'd probably get god of war 2 a lot closer to the top than we would if we voted now. time has a way of rearranging things.

Yeah, not to mention if you did the voting in 2007 for that generation you would have completely missed on unreleased games like Persona 4 (which I expect will do very well), Yakuza 2 and others. Plus the Mother 3 fan translation wasn't out yet.

I'll definitely be interested in a game of the generation vote for those systems. There are a lot of good games to choose from, and I think this is about the right time. With last gen, we're still getting significant PS3 and even PSP games released.

 

[Shaanyboi]

The queen sitting on the throne, right where she belongs. DAMN FINE WORK, GAF.

Though Mario Kart should've been lower, and Shovel Knight and Wolfenstein higher.

 

[GamerJM]

Oh yeah, AniHawk, one really random question, but how would arcade releases work for gen six? Some of my favorite games are actually arcade games I consider to have gen 6 era releases.

 

[AniHawk]

Oh yeah, AniHawk, one really random question, but how would arcade releases work for gen six? Some of my favorite games are actually arcade games I consider to have gen 6 era releases.

probably keep arcade and pc to the same timeframe, unless they got a console port earlier (dreamcast)

 

[AniHawk]

Yeah, not to mention if you did the voting in 2007 for that generation you would have completely missed on unreleased games like Persona 4 (which I expect will do very well), Yakuza 2 and others. Plus the Mother 3 fan translation wasn't out yet.

I'll definitely be interested in a game of the generation vote for those systems. There are a lot of good games to choose from, and I think this is about the right time. With last gen, we're still getting significant PS3 and even PSP games released.

psp:
class of heroes ii(?)
legend of heroes: trails in the sky second chapter

wii:
rodea the sky soldier

ps3:
yakuza 5
the awakened fate ultimatum
tales of zestiria
atelier shallie

and that's without including the multiplatform and crossgen stuff like persona 5 and metal gear solid 5.

 

[Violence Jack]

Great job on getting the list together.

Glad to see Bayo 2 get the #1 spot and Alien:Isolation make the top 15. 2014 was a damn good year for Wii U owners.

 

[Aarglefarg]

An annual mid-year poll for that GOTY of five years beforehand could be interesting, to see how time changes things. Like the 2008 re-poll, but annual.

 

[Gartooth]

and that's without including the multiplatform and crossgen stuff like persona 5 and metal gear solid 5.

I'm curious about your own opinion on this. On a Game of the Generation vote do you think games like Twilight Princess should be eligible for both gens or just one specifically?

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

i would like to head up a game of the generation vote for the dc/ps2/gba/gc/xbox era. it's a complete generation now and the ds/psp/360/wii/ps3 era is not. there's still stuff coming out for those platforms this year.

I don't see how MGS3 doesn't win.

But I don't know if I could handle doing a list like that. I would just rage if the top 10 wasn't half Dreamcast games, yet that would mean missing out on so much good stuff from the PS2 since the GC & Xbox have to at least get a nod or two.

And then I would toss and turn over things like Jet Grind Radio, which was incredibly cool, mind blowing, might well have the best soundtrack of all time and deserves recognition, but I played the PS3 digital release and realized it's not necessarily a lot of fun to control now. Likewise with Shenmue - Shenmue II affected me like very few games ever have, but I don't know if I want to go back to it because I don't want to find it lacking after 13 years of every game stealing its design ideas and iterating on them. I'd rather just let the memory be perfect.

And would King of Fighters '98 Dream Match qualify? Because that Dreamcast version with the extras is still one of the most perfect fighting games ever built. Or straight ports like Mark of the Wolves or Third Strike...

Off the top of my head my list would have to include:

Shenmue II
Rez
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne
Final Fantasy XII
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Director's Cut
Resident Evil 4
Metroid Prime II
King of Fighters '98 Dream Match
Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams


...wow, I'm ignoring Halo 2, haven't listed a single racer from the height of the arcade racer era...do Virtua Fighter or Soul Calibur deserve a spot? What about Phantasy Star Online? Xbox Live's Capcom vs SNK 2, the first proper online fighter? Ninja Gaiden Black? Dragon Quest VIII? This was also the height of the arcade shmup era, what about Ikaruga or DoDonPachi...did Deathsmiles ever get a home port in this era? And wait, the GBA goes on this list too, how can I not include Aria of Sorrow? How have I still only got 3 Dreamcast games on there???

Unpossible.

 

[RespectThySole]

We really should do a GOTG vote for the Gamecube/PS2/Xbox/DC gen.

 

[theprodigy]

what is this "Mario Kart 8 should be lower" business, it should be higher

unlike cheesemeister/timetokill's style, mine would be in the old way i used to run the goty threads and how i did the revote threads. so... considerably less cool and with different weighting (and slightly different rules)

huh

what was the point system on your old threads?

 

[Paskil]

Can someone give me a synopsis of the salt levels from Driveclub topping FH2? Glad to see Divinity make the top 20. Such a great game.

 

[jrDev]

I don't have a WiiU so I couldn't play any of those games to vote... ;_;

 

[AniHawk]

I'm curious about your own opinion on this. On a Game of the Generation vote do you think games like Twilight Princess should be eligible for both gens or just one specifically?

i think it would qualify for both, but only if that's the version you believe in, i guess. i played it on gc and wii, and the wii version would rank a lot higher in that generation than the gc counterpart would in its own.

I don't see how MGS3 doesn't win.

mgs3 might take it, but i think it would have stiff competition from resident evil 4. half-life 2, the wind waker (which people love now more than ever), shadow of the colossus, halo 2, persona 4, grand theft auto: san andreas and paper mario 2 would all be eligibile too.

what was the point system on your old threads?

#1 gets 10 points, #2 gets 9 points, etc.

 

[Grexeno]

mgs3 might take it, but i think it would have stiff competition from resident evil 4. half-life 2, the wind waker (which people love now more than ever), shadow of the colossus, halo 2, persona 4, grand theft auto: san andreas and paper mario 2 would all be eligibile too.

Don't forget Metroid Prime and Melee

 

[AniHawk]

Don't forget Metroid Prime and Melee

people liked metroid prime?

 

[Schryver]

Nice job getting Driveclub on the list GAF!