Eight Games That Won’t Win “Game of the Year”

Or The “I’m Sorry You Came Out The Same Year As GTA5″Awards

[Steelmanner]

Many of these games are stellar, and honestly do deserve the game of the year award. Although GTA 5 may be a great game, I'm sorry to say I doubt the story will be as compelling as the Last of Us, or the strategy will be as exciting as Fire Emblem. Frankly, it is also a bit lame to claim it will do better than games that haven't even been released yet. (In the same sense how can this game rank so well when it hasn't been released yet, at the time of my comment)

[xPhearR3dx]

Judging on past GOTY's, the highest Metacritic score usually gets it. In which case, would be GTA V sitting at a 98.

[XB1_PS4]

Hey, I'm installing it right now. I wanted to tell someone real bad.

[xHeavYx]

Lame list by unknown website is lame. They probably haven't even played the game.
GTAV may be a great game, but people need to play it for longer before making a decision

[XB1_PS4]

@xHeavYx Everyone gets so caught up in hype without even knowing what the game is actually like. I agree with you sir.

[admiralvic]

That is merely a coincidence, since we probably aren't going to see any legitimate site giving a 70 or less a GOTY award.

Like some sites gave it to Borderlands 2 (highest is 91), The Walking Dead (highest is 94), Dishonored (highest is 91), Animal Crossing New Leaf (Japanese publication, 87), Mass Effect 3 (highest is 93), Journey (92), Xcom (highest is 89) etc.

All really high scoring games, but things like Xcom and Borderlands 2 were picked as much, if not more than The Walking Dead. Sure this is just one year, but I can assure you that the pattern will generally continue. Just like GTA V will get some / many GOTY's, but TLOU / BioShock Infinite and maybe even Rayman Legends (it has fantastic review scores) will get their fair share too.

[Fallout4]

@xHeavYx If you're talking about Metacritic then I must ask, have you been living under a rock? Do you even know what Metacritic is? It's like the standard site for ratings of all games/tv shows/movies. Even Steam uses it on its store for every game. It's incredibly foolish to call it an unknown website.

[cvflyboy]

The last of us is not only the best game, but the best piece of entertainment this year period. No disrespect to gta5 but last of us was a once every decade type game. A true masterpiece in every way. plus being a new IP is just icing on the cake.

[brodychet]

Idc what happens. I'm a GTA fanboy through and through. But my vote goes towards The Last of Us.

[badz149]

there are so many GTA fans out there even among reviewers which, in a way, will make review scores not really worth as much! just read the IGN review and you'll see how it's been very well worded, indeed TOO WELL and sound more like a marketing guy rather than a review for a game! 10 was pretty predictable from IGN TBH!

not discrediting GTA V or anything but after GTA IV, a slight feeling of deja vu is totally normal IMO! what an overrated mess it was and still leave a bad taste in my mouth! it was ambitious but ironically lacking in creativity and most importantly fun factor! JC2's world was far more empty than GTA IV but playing it is so much fun! Sleeping Dogs's world is smaller but what a game as it trumps GTA IV in every conceivable way but where are the 10s? it's not GTA, of course 10s are far and between if any! but GTA IV sure did get them EASY!

I hope it doesn't get GoTY by default just like IV was!

[ZBlacktt]

Yep, Sleeping Dogs took the GTA formula and perfected it. The combat system was a taken from Batman that worked oh so well in Sleeping Dogs. The mechanics were great, there was little to no frustration in game play. The story was much much better the GTAIV as well. The whole game was a shock to my surprise and I stayed to Plat the game with much joy.

[showtimefolks]

wcich GOTY are we talking about?

ign
gamespot
GT
or VGA?

to me VGA is the most important and from a commercial point of view, over the years they have improved a lot and last year walking dead won

i think this will be the closest GOTY competition, to me its gonna come down to the last of us and GTA5

editors of different sites vote, and many are not into open world games so i see TLOU having a better shot

but i have yet to play GTA5 so i can not judge, to me TLOU was one of the best game of this generation.(for me its the #1 game of this gen followed by MGS4 and than uncharted 2)

[Prototype_79L]

Everybody is sitting on the Hype Train and they decided before even played it. There was a 3 minute multiplayer video which was not even a gameplay, i heard people shouting Game of the year. You can dress up and go golfing and arm wrestling, wow, and people went crazy. And 18 cheat code already revealed, Congrats Hype faggots....

[ZBlacktt]

Just so no.... so no. Get off the hype wagon. People are getting so over worked by the same game play as always in GTA games. They went back to the GTA SA days with a much better graphic look. Nothing revolutionary here. We are all so happy for that, srs!. But GOTY is not popularity contest, it's not game sells. It's a game that did something no other game did that year. Something like The Last of US. This is why COD doesn't win GOTY.

Come Nov, you watch the massive shift to the "OMG" next Gen games. The Dual Shock 4, the features, etc.

Recall the massive hype train for GTAIV back in 2008. Yet come GOTY award time it was Metal Gear Solid 4, LBP and FallOut 3.

[Raccoon]

Preach!!!!! No matter now awesome my gta V is, its not fresh to me like the first time i ate cheesecake... Thats why i believe TLOU deserves the honors of game of the year, it was all soooo rare and mature, something i truly needed to experience in the gaming world.

[thaimasker]

Actually GTA4 won over 60 GOTY awards from major publications, more than any other game that year...but ok

[Tontus]

What are you talking about? GTA IV topped LBG & MGS4 for GOTY awards, only Fallout 3 topped it. http://gotypicks.blogspot.c...

This year Bioshock Infinite, The Last of Us & GTA V are going to own pretty much every GOTY between them, unless Watch Dogs turns out amazing then it'll also claim a few to itself.

[ZBlacktt]

Funny you answered you own question.... bright people on this site.

[Relientk77]

BioShock Infinite def deserves some GOTY awards, I frickin' loved it beginning to end, an amazing game.

[testsubject]

Agreed, people on this site seem to forget how amazing that game was.

[_FantasmA_]

As someone who loves Bioshock 1 and 2 and is slightly biased towards, I'd have to say NO. Infinite was a disppointment. I actually didn't even get hyped for it since the first gameplay trailer because I didn't want to be disappointed. But I was. I got the platinum but it wasn't fun getting it. The only reason I haven't sold the game is because I need the disk to play Bioshock 1. Now that is a good game. I will be replaying it again for like the 3rd or 4th time. Even Bioshock 2 was better than Infinite.

[InTheLab]

Agreed on all points. The story was great and the characters were even better....but the gameplay was crap. A shooting gallery...

[Wni0]

TLoU took games artistically to a new level. And the level design brilliance is sorely overlooked.

[Raccoon]

YES SIR!

[iXenon]

Well, the Spike VGAs isn't the only one with a Game of the Year award some I'm sure some of those games will get the award somewhere.

[Tony-A]

I hope they make an exception for "Game of the Year" and call it "Games of the Year" instead. Too many incredible titles this year.

The Last of Us, Bioshock Infinite and GTA V alone are a tri-fecta of amazing end-of-a-generation blowout.

[Xenomorph]

GTA4 was a "10/10" game yet I believe it to be extremely overhyped. Not saying that GTAV won't be absolutely amazing, but The Last Of Us is a sure win. If not I have lost faith in the gaming community.

Also GTAV just barely came out, people are going stir crazy.

[BitbyDeath]

I hope Beyond Two Souls at least gets a nomination.

[DragonKnight]

So this article is titled "8 Games that WON'T win game of the year" and yet includes games that are contenders, by the author's own admission, to win Game of the Year.

Honestly people, get off the GTAV hype train. Especially since most of you haven't played it. Reviews don't tell you how good a game is, they tell you how good the reviewer thinks the game is. Enough reviews give a general consensus, but there is no such thing as a unanimous opinion.

Personally speaking, I don't think GTAV stands up to The Last of Us. Quite frankly, an open-world game is its own worst enemy in terms of immersion and memorability. Having so much to do can equal having too much to do. Being able to do whatever you want whenever you want can have you doing too much. The game is so open that it has 3 playable main characters. You can't tell me that such a game is capable of creating memorable experiences on the level of The Last of Us, a game designed from the ground up for deep though provoking experiences.

[DoctorJones]

I've played it, for most of the day actually, and it is an amazing game. I loved TLOU, but I'd have to say GTA5 pips it for fun and sheer scale.

Also, how can having too much to do be a bad thing? That's some of the worst reasoning I've ever read.

[DragonKnight]

"Also, how can having too much to do be a bad thing? That's some of the worst reasoning I've ever read."

In the strictest sense, it's not a bad thing. It is, however, something that can devalue the overall point of the game and the work put into it. It also can potentially be akin to trophy whoring where you're not playing the game because it's fun, you're playing it just because (in the case of trophy whoring) you'll get an arbitrary reward. In GTA V's case it'd be like playing the game just to see what you can do and not even caring about the story, or the gameplay really.

There is a such thing as a ruined experience due to too much to do. Just read up on Skyrim stories to see that.

[DoctorJones]

Well I can see your point in a way, but for me it's actually a very good thing. I played San Andreas to 100% completion, not because I particularly needed to say to myself or others 'Hey I got 100% completion!', but because I enjoyed the game so much.

I didn't want it to end because the gameplay was incredible, it was addictive. I love games that give you lots to do, reasons to keep going back and enjoying yourself.

TLOU is one of the best games ever made, no doubt about it, but for me personally a game as well made as GTA 5, and it is very well made, will always get my vote because it is made for someone like me.

While TLOU does have a very deep and profound story, it shouldn't be used to take away what R* have done with GTA5, because the story is every bit as well done, it just has a different tone. The humour is exceptional and should be appreciated just as much as the drama of TLOU.

And I'd also argue that GTA5 is every bit as immersive as TLOU is, when you don't want to get off a game because you're enjoying it so much and can barely hear the conversation in the room around you, well, that's immersion.

[DragonKnight]

What I think we can both agree on is that GTA V and TLoU aren't even similar in any way and that the author would create any kind of attachment is not wise.

[XboxFun]

"Honestly people, get off the GTAV hype train. Especially since most of you haven't played it."

Have you played it? Especially since you make this next bold statement...

"Personally speaking, I don't think GTAV stands up to The Last of Us."

How can you say this when you haven't played GTAV? The same hype train could be applied to any greatly anticipated game including TLoU.

Maybe it is the open world, do anything, anytime that makes this game of the year. Maybe it is the fact that it isn't confined to such a linear experience like TLoU, maybe it is the open nature and the view points of the three characters in different and more situations that makes GTAV a better experience than TLoU.

"You can't tell me that such a game is capable of creating memorable experiences on the level of The Last of Us"

lol, then what can we tell you?

"a game designed from the ground up for deep though provoking experiences."

Wow, talk about over doing it. TLoU was good but "deep, thought provoking experiences"? A little heavy on the melodrama there don't you think Dragon?

[DragonKnight]

"How can you say this when you haven't played GTAV? The same hype train could be applied to any greatly anticipated game including TLoU."

I'm not hyping up TLoU in that statement am I? Nope. So how am I part of a hype train? I'm saying that in my opinion GTA V doesn't measure up to TLoU. The two are incomparable on a basic level anyway. It's fine that you're taking my comment out of context just to argue with me and completely ignore what I was saying though.

"Maybe it is the open world, do anything, anytime that makes this game of the year. Maybe it is the fact that it isn't confined to such a linear experience like TLoU, maybe it is the open nature and the view points of the three characters in different and more situations that makes GTAV a better experience than TLoU."

You act as though you are reciting requirements based on generally accepted standards. Maybe the fact that it's an open world is irrelevant? Maybe the fact that it lacks focus because it's so open is a detriment? Maybe the fact that the game is so open relegates the feature of having 3 characters pointless when you'll have each one of them doing the same things?

"lol, then what can we tell you?"

Whatever you want, except that. Trying to tell me that is trying to say that a game whose focus is "do whatever" is on par with a game that actively tries, and was designed to try, to create powerful and deep experiences. Yeah, no.

"Wow, talk about over doing it. TLoU was good but "deep, thought provoking experiences"? A little heavy on the melodrama there don't you think Dragon?"

Nope. You'd have to have played TLoU though so I'm not surprised you're trying to downplay it.

[Welcome2Die]

Xboxfun

Oh look its the Xbox fanboy following Dragonknight again trying to win an argument...

Have you even played TLOU? Do you even own a PS3?
You shouldnt be posting if you dont.

[friedricr]

TLOUs. Will win it, GTAV will be a great game .. but just how emotionally in depth TLOUS was and just how everything was buttery smooth. (FU MP!!!). TLOUS will win it....but this is my personal opinion.

[_QQ_]

So goty=best story? because gtav will have soooo much more gameplay variety, also as far as story goes, GTAV's story will probably have more substance and be deeper. TLOU uses emotion to drive the story while GTA will be a criticism of our modern era.

I haven't played GTAV yet so i could be wrong,i am basing this of the reviews.

[friedricr]

yeah i think you forgot the part where i said THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION. my GOTY consist of a great story and a great gameplay to go along. Like i said. GTA will have both. but my personal choice still and i have gta5 (live in the eastcoast put some time into it .. still personally loved and enjoyed TLOUS more. GTA 5 to me is the Same Gta we all love and hate.

[DragonKnight]

"GTAV's story will probably have more substance and be deeper."

Lol, no.

[_QQ_]

@dragon knight "LOL no" i guess that disproves my statement,TLOU doesn't go deeper than a man and a child developing a strong relationship,it doesn't need to deeper because the presentation of the story is its strongest point,it always is with Naughty Dog. Based on what i have read about GTAV it is being made out to be the modern TKAM,the perfect criticism of our era.i'm not saying for sure but based on what i have read.

@friedrice,ueah my mistake.

[pacostacos]

gta v is amazing (at least what i played) it way better than gtaiv which was dissapointing to me. the story is awesome its a satirical look at modern america . i really do belive that this game will win goty and the fact that its a multiplat and will sell way more than TLoU because of the fact will give gta a leg up on the goty race... cant wait for gta online to be playable it will only make the game that much better!

[DragonKnight]

Because sales = GOTY.

[Man-E-Faces]

Fire Emblem Awakening, for the continued life of the genre.

[Majin-vegeta]

I think it's gonna be a tie between TLOU,B2S, and GTA V.

Just my prediction.

[Sidology]

There's another reason BioShock Infinite won't win a Game of the Year award.

Because it's a bad game.

[testsubject]

hehe....No :)

[ScubaSteve1]

if GTAV doesn't win GOTY idk what to expect

[silkrevolver]

I'm sure LoU is still in contest. I haven't played GTA V yet, but LoU is probably one of the greatest games of the generation... though I'm sure GTA V is as well.

Next runner-up would probably be Bioshock Infinite, but I certainly wouldn't give it the nod over either of the aforementioned games.

[Deltaguy]

GTAV will get game of the year at the VGAs simply because of commercial appeal and its a known franchise (and yes because it's awesome)...TLOU is still my dark horse...it's one of the best games I've played in my life

[AceBlazer13]

For the first time ever we have a tie for game of the year,*insert your opinions here*

[TruthbeTold]

While all of the games on that list deserved to be there, Pikmin 3 not being on it was a let down. Everyone who hasn't played it is missing out big time!

[brewskiebob]

what is this last of us game yall speak of?

[irishyort]

I find it hard to believe that most people are saying TLOU will win GOTY. While fantastic in it's own right, it's only on one platform which will surely hurt it's chances big time.

[Einhert]

A linear 10 hour story game does not deserve to win GOTY

[RevXM]

GTA V Prolly going to win a lot of awards.
Releasing this late in the year is a strong strategic move given the amount of attention the series get everytime a new installment is released.
Its going to roll on the hype the few months that are left.

Im not sold at all, last night was the second coming of Jesus and half the People my age stood in line at the midnight release at my local GS.

Well the GTA hype is going strong, but my personal game of the year is The last of us. No denying from my part that GTA V looks to be the best GTA yet, never got into it really though. GTA IV sucked donkeyballs. Vice city is the only one I got, SA was always fun. But no one I ever known cared for anything but eating burgers, fly jetpaks and causing havoc, myself included lol.
TLOU is perhaps the best game this gen, my opinion is that it is up there With MGS4 and Uncharted and Infamous.

Prolly going to get some time With GTA V at friends, who knows I might decide to get it. But I am not ATM as I find this amount of hype completely hilarious.

[Psychotica]

Let's see:

GTA 5 - 100's of hours of gameplay including a free tie into GTA Online bringing 100's of more hours of gameplay. This is a game we will be still be playing until GTA 6 comes out.

TLOU - Great game, I enjoyed it. However, it's 10 to 20 hours of gameplay then every time you play again, it's going to be the same experience.

For me, GOTY is about what gives me more value for my dollar. What game will I reach for when I am broke and can't afford a new game. For me that's GTA 5 and it's not even a close contest.

[Wni0]

So in that case Friends all 7 seasons on dvd is better than Band of Brothers, or GoT 3 seasons...

[DragonKnight]

And McDonald's is the better restaurant because it continuously serves millions a year, and 5 Star restaurants can't compete with that.

[Psychotica]

It would be better if the 5 Star restaurant only had one item on their menu and every time you went there it's the only thing you could order.

[Transporter47]

I think The Last of Us deserves GOTY. Such an amazing game haven't felt so much for characters in a video game in such a long time.

[PickAShoe]

better wear that chest armor before telling everyone what game of the year is.

[Goro]

It's between GTA5 & TLOU but considering TLOU is only on PS3, i think GTA5 will win

[modesign]

you kids should know that GTA is only 97% - 98% from 35-37 reviews.

TLOU is 95% from 97 reviews.

lets see were GTA stands after all the reviews are in.

[_FantasmA_]

Of the games I played this year I'd have to say Mercenary for Vita and handheld game, and Sleeping Dogs for console game. Yes I know it didn't come out this year, but I'm just saying so far its the best game I've played this year. Although I may be saying Shadowfall, Driveclub or Watchdogs when I finally gets my PS4!!

I haven't played Last of Us or GTA 5 and won't be playing them at all because I'm real picky and don't like Naught Dogs linear games too much and GTA hasn't been good since Vice City. But I'd have to say Last of Us looks more unique and care fully crafted than some game that is like number 6 or 7 in a series.