MiamiWesker
Member
2012 is total proof I this gen going on to long. Journey.... Good god what has happened. I don't understand what people want from games any more
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NeoGAF Games of the Year 2012 Awards
- Thread starter timetokill
- Start date
CecilRousso
Member
It really isn't. It only means that Journey is an enjoyable and accessible title. We have games like XCOM, Dishonored, Far Cry 3, Sleeping Dogs and games like that following the top 2.
But yeah, we really needs the usual action titles on the top as a proof of health in the games industry.
This year we will probably have GTAV, Bioshock Infinite, Crysis 3, God of War: Ascension, DmC, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Gears of War: Judgment etc in the top instead so I guess everyone will be satified again then.
No it just means that gameplay centric games (the original definition of the medium, different to movies) are becoming less popular compared to interactive stories or experiences. It can only be a bad thing for the medium imo.But yeah, we really needs the usual action titles on the top as a proof of health in the games industry.
This year we will probably have GTAV, Bioshock Infinite, Crysis 3, God of War: Ascension, DmC, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Gears of War: Judgment etc in the top instead so I guess everyone will be satified again then.
MiamiWesker
Member
This is what I feel. Now I am not saying down with stories or experiences just that we can merge it much better with gameplay than what journey does. But seeing that everyone seems to be ok with it why should anyone try to put in compelling gameplay into that kind of game.
I loved Sleeping Dogs. I have a love-hate relationship with GTA-like sandbox games, because my experience with them is always the same: they look great and fun, and the idea of exploring a city freely is amazing, but when I get to play them I don't spend more than 5 hours because I simply end up getting bored. I even expect that to happen with GTA V.
Not so with Sleeping Dogs though. I started playing, kept playing, and played some more, and each time I saw the time I dedicated to the game increase more and more. And I beat it. I don't think I can give this game any higher praise than that. The atmosphere, the mechanics, the story... it all had me hooked up to the end, and that's no small feat in this kind of games. Only similar games I can think of that got me hooked like that were GTA: Chinatown and Just Cause 2, and I didn't beat either.
In the end I chose XCOM as my GotY because I think it really is everything of what I usually look for in a game (although it also has its issues), but Sleeping Dogs was a really pleasant surprise, and I had lots of fun with it.
So, on the contrary, thank you. Sleeping Dog's position in the GotY list is well deserved.
Hot Coldman
Banned
Man, after this and Just Cause 2, I will pretty much buy any open-world game you guys release from now on. You sure know how to pick 'em. So thank you!
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
Journey has more genius-level game design in it than pretty much any other game last year, except perhaps Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition.
Calling it anything close to an INTERACTIVE MOVIE is hyperbole of the finest degree. Yes there isn't indepth platforming, combat, or puzzles, but it tackles real gameplay stuff with incredible pacing, focus, polish, and design.
Calling it anything close to an INTERACTIVE MOVIE is hyperbole of the finest degree. Yes there isn't indepth platforming, combat, or puzzles, but it tackles real gameplay stuff with incredible pacing, focus, polish, and design.
MiamiWesker
Member
Lol what? You mean stuff like giant empty room with empty columns to hide from giant flying searchlight monster. Or giant empty tower room that automatically floats you up as you activate the only possible thing you can activate to raise up. Or totally generic slide down a slope while going through rings.
I have seen far better level design and gameplay in most LBP user levels.
SuperSonic1305
Member
Journey? What a piece of shit. It doesn't even have guns, perks, killstreaks, horde mode, or big tits.
Hot Coldman
Banned
or gameplay
Goldenroad
Member
Guess I really do have to play Sleeping Dogs.
A Human Becoming
More than a Member
White?
Nice to actually see what people considered the most disappointing games of 2012 be reflected in the top 10 list (ME3 being the big exception):
1) Diablo 3
2) Mass Effect 3
3) Assassin's Creed 3
4) Resident Evil 6
5) Halo 4
6) Guild Wars 2
7) Darksiders 2
8) Street Fighter X Tekken
9) Max Payne 3
10) SSX
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
Hard as hell, not really accessible
New visual style was a little divisive, I think
XBLA-exclusive in a year where almost no one is paying attention to XBLA releases; no PC back-port.
Pretty obvious why it didn't do better in the GAF vote.
Your controller's battery was dead, brah.
A Human Becoming
More than a Member
The scarf looks goldish to me.
Goldenroad
Member
Hit the nail on the head right there. Same reason Trials Evo, Fez and Dust: AET didn't all rank a lot higher. No PC release = bad game according to GAF.
Hot Coldman
Banned
I should have "white robe", I guess.
The_Darkest_Red
Member
Wow, I'm honestly kind of surprised to see Journey take the top spot. I feel like I disagreed with a lot of GAF's choices more than usual this year.
Yep, even the OT was surprisingly quiet when the game hit.
This makes no sense. Like, it's actually hurting my head.
No PC release = people who don't own consoles, or don't actively play on them will not vote for the game, because they haven't played it.
Goldenroad
Member
Yeah, I didn't vote for Fez because I only own a PC and thus didn't play it, not because I think it's a bad game because it's not on PC.
I'm dying for Fez to get a PC release date. What's more, I wouldn't be surprised if this time next year we saw Fez rank high on the "2012 games played during 2013" list exactly because of this reason.
You get 12 lashes, then we carry on. You're not off the hook that easily.
You know, hyperbole aside, I agree. Journey does has some really solid design. Its just too bad (for me) they mostly serve to enhance elements of the game (mood, "flow", ect) that aren't gameplay. Cue Wesker's response here.
HyperCubed4
Member
Sleeping Dogs had the best hand-to-hand combat I have ever seen in an open-world game. No offense to Rocksteady, but I liked it even more than the Batman games. Add to that, the fact that I could customize Wei to look like Claude Speed was AWESOME. It's possibly my favorite open-world game of last year. I might even go as far as calling it my favorite open-world game of this generation. The game has its flaws, yeah. Every game does. But goddamn, I'd be lying if I said I didn't love this game. Totally deserved. I'm glad it wasn't True Crime: Hong Kong.
Those games will still be released and drown Journey sales by the millions. People don't need to feel threatened by Journey and The Walking Dead success this year. The video games industry landscape will still remain for the foreseeable future focused on what you guys call gameplay centric games. If this really means something as noticeable as you fear it just means that the spectrum of types of games is increasing and the audience is also broadening their tastes to try to include different kinds of experiences.
VeryGooster
Banned
Outside of Kid Icarus: Uprising and Binary Domain, I can't think of a game I had more fun with this year than Sleeping Dogs. Great experience.
KuwabaraTheMan
Banned
Not only can you eat all the food in the Yakuza games, but the game even keeps track of your food completion, tracking every single bit of food and drink you've consumed. Also, you can get drunk and wind up stumbling around if you have too much to drink, and there are hidden menu items at various restaurants, and sidequests that deal with ranking various food or restaurants.
If you're in to stuff like that, the series is pretty much perfect for you.
Biff
Member
Bros, need some advice re: Walking Dead
I just played through Episode 1 and I think this game is fucking terrible. My choices mean nothing, the writing is laughable and wildly inconsistent (
), the action elements are janky and boring, controls are frustrating, the camera is a piece of shit....
I could go on and on with a list of why Episode 1 was terrible. I think Clem is a great character while Lee is "meh". The rest are walking cliche jokes.
So... My question: Does TWD get better in later episodes? Does everyone feel the same with Ep 1 as I do or should I just stop playing now?
I just played through Episode 1 and I think this game is fucking terrible. My choices mean nothing, the writing is laughable and wildly inconsistent (
Moments after I break the pharmacy lock with my axe "WE CAN'T GET OUT THAT WAY THE LOCK IS THERE"...... 5 seconds later zombies break through the 'lock' and attack the front door... I laughed my ass off as I easily let Doug die for being such a poorly written retard.
I could go on and on with a list of why Episode 1 was terrible. I think Clem is a great character while Lee is "meh". The rest are walking cliche jokes.
So... My question: Does TWD get better in later episodes? Does everyone feel the same with Ep 1 as I do or should I just stop playing now?
MiamiWesker
Member
It's more about the developers seeing that they don't have to make a good game just one that is an "experience" to make a bunch of money and win a ton of awards. Why should they attempt to put quality gameplay into interesting ideas like journey? That is the message journey is sending that I don't care for.
Hot Coldman
Banned
Episode 1 is weaker simply due to having to introduce the world and characters, but if you're (honestly) disliking it this much already, just don't bother. Unless you've already bought the whole season.
MiamiWesker
Member
Episode 1 is easily the weakest, the story gets really really good. As an adventure game it is pretty poor but I felt it has one of the best stories I have ever experienced in a game. That said I am a big fan o the show and zombies in general. So I say yes keep going.
Biff
Member
Fair enough, I'll keep going (at least through Ep 2). Yeah I already bought the whole season. It's just a matter of biting the bullet vs. spending another, what, 20 hours on this instead of a different game.
I will admit, it is unlike any other "game" I've ever played. It's an experience... I guess that's why it won GOTY... Not because of its controls or camera.
I will admit, it is unlike any other "game" I've ever played. It's an experience... I guess that's why it won GOTY... Not because of its controls or camera.
VeryGooster
Banned
Just wanting to thank timetokill and Cheesemeister for another awesome job with this. Also checking out all that data.
Fine Ham Abounds
Member
Anyone else having trouble downloading the data zip? I'm interested in seeing who has taste - I mean, similar taste.
Anyone else having trouble downloading the data zip? I'm interested in seeing who has taste - I mean, similar taste.
Works for me, but here's your Affinity list:
Fine Ham Abounds
1. Saiyar (76)
2. Pookmunki (63)
3. 18-Volt (61)
4. Semblance (60)
4. semiconscious (60)
6. Maccas (58)
7. The Illiterati (57)
8. theDeeDubs (56)
9. Agent White (55)
10. Seraphis Cain (54)
You put too much weight into this. This is not sending messages to anyone and TGC unfortunately after Journey release had several key members leaving the company, so I fear for their future output. These kinds of games, due to their nature, are not so prone to "cloning" and milking and their target audience is restricted. They will always be fringe projects in a sea of AAAA (next gen nod here) titles.
Fine Ham Abounds
Member
Lol, well, that works too, thank you.
omg, who are you people
I'm really regretting not being able to get to XCOM before the deadline.
Omotesando
Member
Same reaction from me after playing episode 1. The game gets better, but don't get your hopes up. There are some good scenes that are worthwhile, but this TWD thing really blew out of proportions.
Nocturnowl
Member
You know it's not been until this year that I really paid extra attention to XBLA games, I ended up with three of them on my list as a result, so what i'm wondering is about this shift in focus you speak of, what happened to change the perception?
Is it that people tend to hold out for a future PC release these days after seeing most XBLA "exclusives" make the jump over time?
Aside from this Journey is a PSN exclusive (yeah I know there's the disc collection but bear with me here) yet it's done more than well for itself, is it more of an isolated incident with stronger praise and wider word of mouth fuelling its run to the top where other console exclusive download titles faltered despite being well received by reviewers?
We like good games mate, that's who.
Great work as always Cheese + TTK. Special thanks to TTK for reminding me to update my ballot, would have been a shame to at least not be a part of it all.
timetokill
Banned
I'm sorry but
WHAT
The level design is so simple and perfunctory, it misses out on exploiting its own limited potential.
I think this industry senses the vibe of a particular moment and clones itself pretty regularly; it just takes some time to notice, given how long it takes to develop a game. Uncharted is now being copied to hell and back for stuff it did three years ago. This industry's going to take note of smaller budget successes and storytelling feats and incorporate them into its next games, even the AAA ones. That's why I think TWD and Journey's success are worrisome, because I think both of them took a fundamentally unsound stance against complex/deep game mechanics, to great consumer/critical success.
HueyFreeman
Banned
Wow... controversial list to be sure, but jives pretty well with my year. Nice job, GAF.
More importantly, why does Gaf hate Fez?