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Returnal is voted the best game of 2021 by The Guardian

Danny Devito Smh GIF

I didn't say that.

LOL
 

bender

What time is it?
It's a big step down from Nex Machina but I can understand the choice.

Artful Escape isn't a good game...at all. I'd rank it up there with It Takes Two and Psychonauts 2 as far as aesthetic and variety are concerned but the core mechanics are brain dead.
 
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Bragr

Banned
Returnal is good, and I don't mind it winning GOTY (even though guardian is rubbish and doesn't deserve its own thread like this), but it also shows why The Last of US 2 winning all those awards is not that big of a deal. There are a billion awards these days, and people hand them out like candy. Returnal is gonna end up with more awards than some legendary games because of the weird nature of awards in our age. It's not like in 2002 or whatever when people took things a bit more seriously with awards, and it meant a lot.
 

tommib

Member
Returnal is good, and I don't mind it winning GOTY (even though guardian is rubbish and doesn't deserve its own thread like this), but it also shows why The Last of US 2 winning all those awards is not that big of a deal. There are a billion awards these days, and people hand them out like candy. Returnal is gonna end up with more awards than some legendary games because of the weird nature of awards in our age. It's not like in 2002 or whatever when people took things a bit more seriously with awards, and it meant a lot.
Reaction GIF
 

Topher

Gold Member
Returnal is good, and I don't mind it winning GOTY (even though guardian is rubbish and doesn't deserve its own thread like this), but it also shows why The Last of US 2 winning all those awards is not that big of a deal. There are a billion awards these days, and people hand them out like candy. Returnal is gonna end up with more awards than some legendary games because of the weird nature of awards in our age. It's not like in 2002 or whatever when people took things a bit more seriously with awards, and it meant a lot.

Yeah.....Returnal winning this award is just like The Last of Part II....uh....what?

  • The Last of Us Part II - 315
    • Media Outlets: 206 | Readers' Choice: 109
  • Ghost of Tsushima - 70
    • Media Outlets: 58 | Readers' Choice: 12
  • Hades - 68

giphy.gif
 
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Bragr

Banned
Yeah.....Returnal winning this award is just like The Last of Part II....uh....what?

  • The Last of Us Part II - 315
    • Media Outlets: 206 | Readers' Choice: 109
  • Ghost of Tsushima - 70
    • Media Outlets: 58 | Readers' Choice: 12
  • Hades - 68

giphy.gif
Don't twist my words smartass, I didn't say the Last of Us is like Returnal.

I said it shows us how games like The Last of Us get so many awards because the awards of today are ubiquitous.
 

Topher

Gold Member
Don't twist my words smartass, I didn't say the Last of Us is like Returnal.

I said it shows us how games like The Last of Us get so many awards because the awards of today are ubiquitous.

Returnal getting this award doesn't tell us a thing about TLOU2 winning the overwhelming majority of GOTY from last year.

And frankly, I'd rather be a smartass than a dumbass. But that's me. You do you.

Awkward John Krasinski GIF by Saturday Night Live
 

Bragr

Banned
Returnal getting this award doesn't tell us a thing about TLOU2 winning the overwhelming majority of GOTY from last year.

And frankly, I'd rather be a smartass than a dumbass. But that's me. You do you.

Awkward John Krasinski GIF by Saturday Night Live
First off, using gifs you find by searching for "dumb office gifs" is considered dumbass. Being old and using gifs in every post is also considered dumbass.

Second, Returnal is a good example of a solid game that is not a world-beater but is raking up tons of awards. As is many games this year.
 

8BiTw0LF

Banned
Sony is a walking corpse.
Ill eat my own my own poo if returnal wins goty 😡😡 it can pry the award out of my green, dead, hands!!😡
Metroid not even on that horrible excuse for a list. 👎
Rented Returnal earlier this year mainly off the good reviews and quickly packed that baby up and sent it back.
Returnal is good, and I don't mind it winning GOTY (even though guardian is rubbish and doesn't deserve its own thread like this), but it also shows why The Last of US 2 winning all those awards is not that big of a deal. There are a billion awards these days, and people hand them out like candy. Returnal is gonna end up with more awards than some legendary games because of the weird nature of awards in our age. It's not like in 2002 or whatever when people took things a bit more seriously with awards, and it meant a lot.
I disagree but ok.


Salty GIF


Licking Fingers Nick Scarpino GIF by Kinda Funny
 

Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
Good for them! I'm thinking this game is too hard to play for me though.

I am on my 3rd play though of demons souls
If it is any help, I've never played a Dark Souls game, or Demon's Souls, or Sekiro, because I find those games too hard for me. I tried Bloodborne and did fairly well (I think) to reach that "bell area" but then I just stopped enjoying it enough to continue.

I did play Hollow Knight, finished it, but could never beat Grimm.

And yet, I have finished Retural (I did struggle in biome 3 and boss #2 and #3, but breezed through biome #4 and #6, including the bosses, in the very first attempts) and am fairly close to getting the Platinum trophy. I need a few more runs and some luck to get those glyphs.
 

Topher

Gold Member
First off, using gifs you find by searching for "dumb office gifs" is considered dumbass. Being old and using gifs in every post is also considered dumbass.

Season 9 Ok GIF by The Office
Jennifer Lawrence Reaction GIF
Reaction Ok GIF


Oh well. I like my dumbass gifs.

Second, Returnal is a good example of a solid game that is not a world-beater but is raking up tons of awards. As is many games this year.

I wouldn't say 9 GOTY is "raking up tons of awards". Even if we account for the volume of awards given out the ratio isn't very high so far. Certainly nothing close to TLOU 2.
 
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Fredrik

Member
Returnal is good, and I don't mind it winning GOTY (even though guardian is rubbish and doesn't deserve its own thread like this), but it also shows why The Last of US 2 winning all those awards is not that big of a deal. There are a billion awards these days, and people hand them out like candy. Returnal is gonna end up with more awards than some legendary games because of the weird nature of awards in our age. It's not like in 2002 or whatever when people took things a bit more seriously with awards, and it meant a lot.
How have things changed since 2002 or whatever?

A group of people go together to chat about the games they’ve played, game X get the most votes - GOTY.

🤷‍♂️

It’s actually great that a niche game on such a small platform can win. Have all the people voting played it? Unlikely.
 

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
Amazing graphics
Solid grounded gameplay

Shit item balance. Items felt more punishing then rewarding most of the times.
Lacking variation for roguelike randomness

That first level tho straight out of the alien movies. And the 3D sound of the rain when in a menu.

I liked the game. But a roguelike like hades or binding of isaac was way better item wise.
 
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Fredrik

Member
Amazing graphics
Solid grounded gameplay

Shit item balance. Items felt more punishing the rewarding most of the times.
Lacking variation for roguelike randomness

That first level tho straight out of the alien movies. And the 3D sound of the rain when in a menu.

I liked the game. But a roguelike like hades or binding of isaac was way better item wise.
I wish it was on sale. At it’s core it’s perfect for me, I love shmups, metroidvanias and arcade action. But the roguelike nature is clashing with my temper, I hate starting over, especially if I can’t even memorize map layout and attack patterns like in old school games. Feels like it’s a 50/50 chance it could be my game of the year or my most disappointing game of the year.
End of year sale please Sony!
 

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
I wish it was on sale. At it’s core it’s perfect for me, I love shmups, metroidvanias and arcade action. But the roguelike nature is clashing with my temper, I hate starting over, especially if I can’t even memorize map layout and attack patterns like in old school games. Feels like it’s a 50/50 chance it could be my game of the year or my most disappointing game of the year.
End of year sale please Sony!
It’s currently on sale physically in stores in the EU for 50% making it a lot easier to stomach. at 25-30 euro’s i would say it’s a must buy
 

Fredrik

Member
It’s currently on sale physically in stores in the EU for 50% making it a lot easier to stomach. at 25-30 euro’s i would say it’s a must buy
I don’t buy physical games though. I’ve been waiting for a proper sale since I got the console in the summer, cheapest I’ve seen is 636kr in Sweden, which is pretty much regular price for games on other platforms, 849kr ($93) for a standard edition is a joke.
 

Tschumi

Member
My take on Returnal:

Each of the two big shooter games that have come out this year which I've played - Deathloop and this - have been pretty new experiences to me.

Deathloop feels like Dishonored with a far more minimalist plot and a kinda casino'y sleazy atmosphere.

Returnal is, to me, basically Metroid Prime with a hugely rebalanced set of priorities. Speed of navigation is increased, combat is streamlined and made more of a focus, Samus talks this time.

Everyone who said they played a bit of it and returned it, or whatever, are only saying one thing: it was more important for them to assert superiority and hate this game than it was to put in the effort to complete it.

Frankly you're the last people whose opinions anyone interested in a valid take should listen to.

If you put in just a few hours of gameplay, like with pretty much any game, everything starts doubling up, the sauce thickens, the plot deepens, the guns and enemies differentiate, the levels hold new plots and surprises.

Returnal is Metroid Prime with a more mature, less linearly told plot and a couple of decades of gaming advances in it, and a greater emphasis on fast paced action.

It could easily be goty. Many people will say it is because of its amazing atmosphere and technology. Others will, just suckle at a salt shaker.
 
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geary

Member
I remember when a non-gaming publication gave the GOTY to a MS game or was it when Hellblade took the BAFTA award, and everyone keep telling that they are not a gaming related institution and their recognition means shit and they don't know what their are talking about and now when The Guardian gave Returnal recognition, they are all good and have taste in gaming.
 
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