What Makes a Game of the Year?

Sean Halliday of Pixel Gate writes:

''With the end of the year drawing ever closer, people are beginning to create their ‘Game of the Year’ lists. As always, the majority of the time, there is always a group of people who will question anyone’s choices. This is all fair and good, but everyone has their reasons for selecting a game–or games–as the best of that year. But what makes a game of the year? Is it based purely on merit or quality and technical finesse? Is it how successful the game is both commercially and critically? Or is it something more personal?''

[Batzi]

A Hideo Kojima Game

[Linko64]

Oh snap!

[abzdine]

For retarded people it's the sales.
to me Tearaway could easily be GOTY cause creativity and fun should come first.

[NukaCola]

Damn it... was going with Naughty Dogs, but I tip my hat to you sir.

[MadLad]

It's comments like that that makes me hate the industry I am in.

[GamerEuphoria]

I fear most will say anything that isn't Cod ;)

[Linko64]

Anything Nintendo?!!

*awaits for the flames*

[Perjoss]

if you order now it might arrive just in time, good luck...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/l...

[Corpser]

When we have the most critically acclaimed game of the year that is also by far the best selling game of the year, the choice is obvious

[Hellsvacancy]

It's all opinions, you're never going to please everyone, I really liked Beyond Two Souls (not so much the gameplay) my buddy HATED all of it, my friend LOVED the movie Gravity, I thought it was abit meh, he didn't like The Last Of Us all that much either, I LOVED it

[MONKEYDLUFFY]

Game with best gameplay

[Einhert]

Opinions, funny that aint it?

[Neonridr]

What makes a Game of the Year?

Whatever criteria you personally have that makes it the best game for you.

I would never expect my Game of the Year to be someone else's Game of the Year. We're not the same person, we have different likes/dislikes.

[Picnic]

For my tastes personally, a combination of elegant and yet quirky art design/direction and, preferably, level design as well.

Hence Dishonored is one of my favourite games of the generation, certainly the one that made me feel most free within a comfortable framework that wasn't just open world (although the bridge level in the main game was terribly long and relatively dull stuff compared to the levels set in and around interiors).

[MONKEYDLUFFY]

Then it sounds like Papo y Yo should be your game of the year.

[Picnic]

Oh it pretty much was! (2012 that is on PS3, I wasn't playing the later Windows version). Papo and Yo is a classic. The only reason some critics downscored it a bit is screen tearing (it's minor and doesn't spoil) and that it could have been harder.

That was the same year of Dishonored and The Unfinished Swan- it was a very good year.

In 2013, Rain and Contrast have continued the PS3 indie game trend. But they partly owe themselves to the earlier games, arguably including Limbo as well. And Puppeteer - but that is an entirely different type of game, more like a new spin on 16 bit Megadrive games in tone.

[Why o why]

Ask Naughty Dog

[Grave]

For me it's not about popularity or sales, but about affect. A game has to get into my brain and have an emotional influence on my perception of the experience. Only a few games I have played this year have accomplished this. The top contenders on my list were Spec Ops: The Line, Metro: Last Light, and The Last of Us. The Last of Us was a visceral, moving experience more so than any other game I played this year so it get's my "GOTY" stamp.

[Moncole]

The game you liked the best. GOTY is an opinion.

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

Judging by what I have seen, all it takes is a game that has all of the DLC on one disc.

[KillrateOmega]

Not necessarily the game that has sold the most, but the game of the highest quality. The game that has had the most time, effort, and care poured into. The game that most resonates with the gamers.

[sprinterboy]

Gameplay, immersion, polish, music, character development & story