Game of the year contenders so far?

[dpodblood]

With the AAA holiday season just around the corner I'd like to look back over the last several months and evaluate some of the games that have come out. It's been a busy year for me; getting engaged, having a baby, and buying a new home so I have missed out on a lot. But I have played some pretty great games as well. Here are my GOTY contenders so far, and I'd love to hear yours.

Tomb Raider - I was really surprised how well done this reboot was. I played through the game on hard and the action was extremely satisfying. The environments are stunning, and the optional tombs were really well done too. I just wish there were more of them.

Bioshock Infinite - While I found the combat in this game to be flawed the world really does suck you in. The environments and characters are great, and really make you want to explore the world, reading and listening to clues as much as you possibly can.

Grid 2 - A worthy successor to codemasters previous games. I got hours of enjoyment out of this is in both the SP and MP modes. The game is beautiful, and the physics hit a nice balance between arcade and realism.

Crysis 3 - The SP campaign was short and sweet, but it was the MP that really sucked me into this game. Some people will call it a COD clone, but they really did a lot to differentiate themselves from other online shooters with the suit powers and game modes like hunter. I haven't felt this badass online for a while.

GTA V - First off this game was just way to easy to complete, but I still had a ton of fun doing it. The characters are well written. Particularly Trevor who always made me feel uneasy when I was playing as him. He truly comes across as an unstable disturbed individual right from the beginning. The missions are fun, and there are a ton of side activities keeping the game fresh.

EDIT: The last of us: Don't know how I forgot to add this game to the list. I had huge expectations going into this game and I was still blown away. Everything comes together in this game as a cohesive whole. The characters, the narrative, the combat, the environment. Every moment feels like a struggle and it could easily win GOTY.

Honorable mention to Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon for being balls to wall fun and hilarious.

 

[darkewaffle]

Won't win GotY but FFXIV ARR would be a worthy recipient of "Most Improved".

 

[KaOTiK]

Not even a contest, The Last of Us

 

[Grooveriding]

Bioshock: Infinite

 

[dpodblood]

Not even a contest, The Last of Us

Don't even know how I left this off the list. You are absolutely right. In fact I would vote for it as GOTY without hesitation.

 

[Rhezuss]

Not even a contest, The Last of Us

This game is pure awesomeness. I'm a PC gamer and Last of Us reconciled me with my PS3.

 

[Dankk]

Tomb Raider still remains my personal GOTY so far. Literally everything about it was so well-executed; the storyline, the characters, the combat, the environments, the graphics, and so on.

Metro: Last Light is probably my runner-up.

I haven't played TLOU yet, but I'd like to. It looks like the kind of game I'd enjoy.

 

[EDUSAN]

how can you vote a game as goty if you didnt even remember it?

i mean... the game i would vote as goty should be like the 1st game i remember everytime i think of the games i've played...

I dont know what the goty would be, i liked bioshock infinite and tomb raiders, but i didnt like them SO much. They could maybe deserve it but that would be because there are no other better games.

 

[werepossum]

Fallout New Vegas!

Well . . . I'M still playing it.

 

[PowerYoga]

Tomb Raider still remains my personal GOTY so far. Literally everything about it was so well-executed; the storyline, the characters, the combat, the environments, the graphics, and so on.

Metro: Last Light is probably my runner-up.

I haven't played TLOU yet, but I'd like to. It looks like the kind of game I'd enjoy.

Stop.

Stop playing other games.

Go play last of us.

/goty

 

[runzwithsizorz]

Last of Us only PS3...Ever coming to PC? So far, nothing jumps out as great. Last of Us limited to PS3, so I don't see it as a contender.

 

[PliotronX]

Stop.

Stop playing other games.

Go play last of us.

/goty

Out of the games I've played Tomb Raider was going to get my vote but yeah. I saw my friend playing it but I don't want to buy a PS3 just for it. Stupid exclusive BS.

 

[dougp]

Not sure why you have console games listed in the PC section. I understand there's good games but exclusives tend to win for consoles in this category.

As for PC, we have a lot of options to choose from:
Dead Space 3
Crysis 3
Tomb Raider
SC II: Heart of the Swarm
Resident Evil 6
BioShock Infinite
Dead Island: Riptide
FC3: Blood Dragon
Metro: Last Light
Grid 2
Company of Heroes 2
Payday 2
Saint's Row IV
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified
Splinter Cell: Blacklist
FFXIV
Total War: Rome II
ARMA3
Battlefield 4
CoD: Ghosts
Batman: Arkham Origins
AC IV: Black Flag

 

[Genx87]

Warthunder

 

[JamesV]

Tomb Raider will probably win, since so many people are fond of it. Personally, I hated it; didn't feel like Tomb Raider at all. Felt just like Far Cry or Max Payne but with TR's assets; generic.

For that matter, many of the big games felt that same way to me this year. Bioshock Infinite I could only play for about four hours before I was completely bored. It looked great, had a cool atmosphere, but the gameplay was not great.

I'd vote for Kerbal Space Program, even though it isn't complete. Nothing else like it out there, tons of replayability, and great fun. Far more fun than any of the 'me too generic shooters' we are force fed.

 

[dpodblood]

Not sure why you have console games listed in the PC section.

Because there is no sub-forum that covers both PC and console games. Why did you list games that aren't even out yet?

 

[dpodblood]

how can you vote a game as goty if you didnt even remember it?

Not sure how it slipped my mind. What can I say, I don't get much sleep these days.

 

[ImpulsE69]

I guess if we're talking games released this year:

Bioshock Infinite - for reasons stated elsewhere

But overall my personal top of the list to this day is:

The Walking Dead. No other game I've ever played actually made me care about the end game and even though I knew where it was headed brought tears.

I just played it this year.

 

[dougp]

Because there is no sub-forum that covers both PC and console games. Why did you list games that aren't even out yet?

I listed two that are being released next week and the week following. Whoopty-do, two freakin weeks. If you want to discuss GOTY candidates for consoles, go to that forum. There's a lot of us who don't have a console and we aren't concerned about games that don't come out for PC.

 

[drebo]

Was Spec Ops: The Line released in 2013?

 

[ImpulsE69]

I listed two that are being released next week and the week following. Whoopty-do, two freakin weeks. If you want to discuss GOTY candidates for consoles, go to that forum. There's a lot of us who don't have a console and we aren't concerned about games that don't come out for PC.

Really? Are you 10? Get over it.

 

[dpodblood]

Really? Are you 10? Get over it.

Indeed... And to add what does it matter if they come out in a week, two weeks, or tomorrow? The point is you haven't played them...

 

[CPA]

Tomb Raider, but Saints Row IV is a close, close second.

 

[Dankk]

I dont know what the goty would be, i liked bioshock infinite and tomb raiders, but i didnt like them SO much. They could maybe deserve it but that would be because there are no other better games.

While I adore Tomb Raider (2013), I have to agree with you about Bioshock Infinite. It's just an amusing FPS game with a unique storyline and setting. Fun? yes. GOTY material? not really. I'm surprised there's so many people touting it as GOTY. I don't think it's that special.

Was Spec Ops: The Line released in 2013?

No, it wasn't.

 

[Juddog]

DOTA2 blows all these other games away.