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[Derrick01]

Only one more year for a full decade of GAF GOTYs!

2004

1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater [PS2] 613
2. Halo 2 [XBOX] 492
3. Half-Life 2 [PC] 467

2005

1. Resident Evil 4 [GC][PS2] 1565
2. Shadow of the Colossus [PS2] 841
3. Mario Kart DS [DS] 616

We did pretty good those 2 years, even though SA didn't make the top 3 in 04 somehow. Every other year the 1st choice was...questionable at best.

Everything that doesn't fit into your narrow view on videogames leaves a sad taste in your mouth, you are lucky you weren't around during the PS1 days (it is very interesting how minigame collections went from being mainly for "gamers" to being spat on by children).

I've been around since the NES days and minigame collections have always been a joke, so I don't know what you're talking about with that last part.

 

[Pie and Beans]

So in your estimation, my placing of Kid Icarus at #2 was not particularly thought out and was a merely a result of being starved for content?

Much like the game features an innovative slider for difficulty, I guess you have an internal one for acceptance of broken controls!

Been a weird year for games from a lot of the list really. An off-season year if you will.

 

[Rapstah]

I felt like finding out who won the competition for agreeing the least with others (2012 Most Hipster award), so I wrote a tiny Java program that parsed the goty-user-affinity.txt file and listed the 20 people with the lowest highest affinity. Some people, those listed with 0 as their affinity, had no people listed at all. I interpreted this as 0, assuming no one else listed any of the games they listed.

Top 20 hipsters:
1: Itchy//Tasty: 0
2: Ragus: 0
3: Joseph Merrick: 0
4: jufonuk: 0
5: Carl: 22
6: DatDude: 23
7: Arjen: 24
8: bigboss370: 25
9: cdevl: 25
10: ElectricBlanketFire: 25
11: emag: 25
12: Massa: 25
13: McHuj: 25
14: melfice_: 25
15: Mlatador: 25
16: MuseManMike: 25
17: gblues: 25
18: NinjaBoiX: 25
19: Notrollious: 25
20: P90: 25

There's no internal order to those with the same highest affinity, so this is practically a list with a ton of shared first and fifth places.

 

[Lowlander2]

Glad to see Sleeping Dogs achieve the rank it has, and good to see that Halo 4 didn't do too badly either. Only a few dark horses, like ZombiU, that I wanted to see more of, really. Good list.

 

[XxCGSxX]

Great job GAF!!! One of my comments made the cut :O

 

[Neiteio]

Really happy to see my Top 3 (Kid Icarus, Sleeping Dogs and Hotline Miami) make the Top 10! And props to the organizers for assembling such vast reams of data in neatly formatted fashion. Amazing work, guys.

 

[Hot Coldman]

Wait, Sleeping Dogs came fourth?

GAF PLEASE HAVE MY BABIES.

 

[Ridley327]

Sounds like a narrow definition of platformer.

I don't think it's a narrow definition at all, really; it's a stealth game first and foremost, and it happens to have an emphasis on vertical level design. That you're jumping down to get to lower levels or using the grappling hook to move higher doesn't make it a platformer, or at least enough of one to be considered for that category, especially with the general lack of agency in the main levels to make that aspect important.

 

[Ventilaator]

I scrolled down the list, smiling at how perfect it was. Then Mass Effect went ahead and ruined it all.

/the most obvious post in the world

 

[nckillthegrimace]

Good work collecting the data. It's just unfortunate that the results point to the GAF majority sliding comfortably into the Mountain Dew swilling, Spike VGA loving "gamer" stereotype. With the exception of Kid Icarus (which I don't even know how it got up there because it's a handheld game made by non-westerners), the top ten list reads like it came from IGN or something. AAA marketing budget! Indy darlings! Epic story! ART! Advancing the medium through tedium! And RPG of the year: Mass Effect 3? Are you kidding me? Clearly, 2012 was the year that the GAF userbase became what it hates the most: Games journalism.

Here are some people who are smart, mostly because they agree with me:
1. Gooster (99)
2. Capell (96)
3. Toki767 (94)
4. Sadist (90)
5. Psi (83)
5. SpacePirate Ridley (83)
7. hank_tree (82)
7. Plasma (82)
9. CronoShot (79)
9. Jamix012 (79)

Better luck getting real recognition next year, good video games.

 

[Mononoke]

Great list considering it was compiled from a wealth of diverse opinions and taste.

Only game I would not have had in my top 20 was Mass Effect 3.

 

[Imp the Dimp]

Mass Effect 3 best RPG irks me

 

[Neiteio]

Here's the list of Sexy Smart Individuals, as determined by the affinity data of people who agreed with me:

1. Electivirus (106)
2. anon_mastermind (91)
3. SpacePirate Ridley (90)
4. NFreak (83)
5. Mushroomer25 (82)
5. timetokill (82)
7. SteveWinwood (80)
8. EatChildren (79)
9. Kangi (77)
10. Neon_Icarus (76)

 

[Acquiescence]

So is Xenoblade coming out anywhere else in the world this year, or can we finally be done with it?

 

[duckroll]

I don't think it's a narrow definition at all, really; it's a stealth game first and foremost, and it happens to have an emphasis on vertical level design. That you're jumping down to get to lower levels or using the grappling hook to move higher doesn't make it a platformer, or at least enough of one to be considered for that category, especially with the general lack of agency in the main levels to make that aspect important.

The core gameplay in the game involves platforming. That is the process of maneuvering between platforms. Whether the purpose of that is for stealth or not is irrelevant. You literally jump from platform to platform for most of the game, and most of the traps in the game is avoided by careful and precise movement. How is it not a platformer? Platformers are not defined by whether you are traveling horizontally or vertically. The core definition is an emphasis on movement between platforms and avoiding obstacles. That's the game in a nutshell.

 

[Simo]

Max Payne 3 in the top 20 and Shooter of the Year? I'm good with this!

Sad to say that I have't played any of the games in the top 10, save for Mass Effect 3 and I couldn't bring myself to finish it. I really want to check out Journey now!

 

[Tomodachi]

Very pleased Journey made it. Well deserved. And at least Dragons Dogma and Gravity Rush made the Top 20 I guess!

Taste-friends. A glass raised.

Yup, we rock.

My buddies:

Tomodachi
1. darkside31337 (101)
2. depward (93)
3. Eppy Thatcher (86)
4. Pie and Beans (85)
5. Dusky (77)
5. Kesagiri (77)
7. dosh (76)
7. vitaminwateryum (76)
7. Wario64 (76)
7. Zoibie (76)

 

[Derrick01]

Derrick01
1. Interfectum (124)
2. Funchameleon (114)
3. Shorty11857 (109)
4. Dyni Crippler (107)
5. xenist (105)
6. SalsaShark (104)
6. Uriah (104)
8. Chairman Yang (101)
9. evilhomer (99)
10. Capell (98)

Congrats you each have something in common with the guy who hates everything!

 

[dreamfall]

The affinity list is so neat. We like the same games?! Whoawesome!

dreamfall
1. Deepack (102)
2. iNvid02 (95)
3. Kritz (94)
4. dragonbane (93)
4. JAY the BIRD (93)
6. Emerson (92)
6. I NEED SCISSORS (92)
6. Wario64 (92)
9. winstano (91)
10. Dusky (90)

 

[nckillthegrimace]

Congrats you each have something in common with the guy who hates everything!

Are those the other ten vita owners?

 

[Mononoke]

I'm really happy about Sleeping Dogs being placed so high.

 

[Hot Coldman]

This thread is a good way to figure out who's part of the Wario64 cabal.

 

[AwayFromInfinityx]

I'm really happy about Sleeping Dogs being placed so high.

Same here. I wasn't expecting it but it was a great game.

 

[n8]

I'm creating a list of any game within the 2013 year-frame that I touch, so I'll be more equipped for something like this.

Good list though. Nice mix.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Much like the game features an innovative slider for difficulty, I guess you have an internal one for acceptance of broken controls!

Been a weird year for games from a lot of the list really. An off-season year if you will.

I fail to see how this explains the implication that my choice was not legitimate or was somehow agenda-driven, though.

 

[enzo_gt]

Shout outs to NullPointer about to make all of HaloGAF mad.

 

[Cerebral Assassin]

I've been around since the NES days and minigame collections have always been a joke, so I don't know what you're talking about with that last part.

They have only been a joke to narrow-minded people, & who do you think the western release of Bishi Bashi was aimed at? Also writing off a whole genre as a joke strikes me as something only a child would do, so that's why I thought you might not remember the PS1 era.

 

[8bit]

Really surprised Journey got it, I found it a weak follow-up to Flower and I doubt that was particularly acclaimed. Very happy to see FTL get such recognition though, such a great game.

Nonetheless, many thanks for this timetokill & Cheesemeister. It's good to see the spread of the members selections.

 

[nckillthegrimace]

I fail to see how this explains the implication that my choice was not legitimate or was somehow agenda-driven, though.

There's a pretty simple explanation for his post, and it has nothing to do with you or the game.

 

[Sojgat]

Sojgat
1. Feindflug (95)
2. ameridion (93)
2. Derrick01 (93)
2. Liquid_Bike (93)
5. Herla (91)
6. Agent White (90)
7. Interfectum (89)
8. kamspy (85)
9. Messofanego (83)
10. dragonbane (81)

 

[Barry Burton]

We did pretty good those 2 years, even though SA didn't make the top 3 in 04 somehow. Every other year the 1st choice was...questionable at best.

2008 is really the only one I have a strong beef with, especially at #1. I think most years GAF has gotten it right, or close to it. 2010 and this year are the only other years I had a different #1, but at least those years my #1 pick still was in the Top 3.

The '08 list couldn't be more different than mine.

I fail to see how this explains the implication that my choice was not legitimate or was somehow agenda-driven, though.

"STOP LIKING WHAT I DON'T LIKE!"

I clearly overrated ZombiU at #3 as well. Even though 7 of my top 10 weren't games I played on Nintendo consoles, I elevated ZombiU because I was so starved for content. The idea that I actually really liked the game is preposterous!

 

[ViewtifulJC]

I fail to see how this explains the implication that my choice was not legitimate or was somehow agenda-driven, though.

I remember that broad definition of stupid you have? You can include his post as well

 

[Neiteio]

I fail to see how this explains the implication that my choice was not legitimate or was somehow agenda-driven, though.

He's saying he finds the controls so broken that there's no way you could sincerely like it. Kid Icarus was my GOTY and I'm all about controls and mechanics, so I obviously disagree with his assessment, but I'm not bothered if he finds them so terrible he can't comprehend the selection. It's, like, his opinion, man.

Side note, I love how "Resident Evil Revelations" has the Capcom typo in the polling data, lol.

 

[Violet_0]

I was fully expecting MGS4 to win again

 

[Ridley327]

The core gameplay in the game involves platforming. That is the process of maneuvering between platforms. Whether the purpose of that is for stealth or not is irrelevant. You literally jump from platform to platform for most of the game, and most of the traps in the game is avoided by careful and precise movement. How is it not a platformer? Platformers are not defined by whether you are traveling horizontally or vertically. The core definition is an emphasis on movement between platforms and avoiding obstacles. That's the game in a nutshell.

And that's why I have a problem with calling it a platformer, because that definition makes games like Thief and Deus Ex platformers. Do you think those are platformers, then?

 

[Grisby]

Awesome that I got quoted under Mass Effect 3.

 

[meta4]

Great to see my favorite game of the year win GOTY. Well done!

Next year is going to be a close competition between TLOU, Bioshock,GTA5 and MGR.

I was fully expecting MGS4 to win again

I would be okay with MGS4 winning every year!

 

[Rapstah]

Here's a much better formatted list of which people voted the least like other people.

Top 10 hipsters:
n. User name (highest affinity to other users)
1. Itchy//Tasty (0)
1. Ragus (0)
1. Joseph Merrick (0)
1. jufonuk (0)
2. Carl (22)
3. DatDude (23)
4. Arjen (24)
5. bigboss370 (25)
5. cdevl (25)
5. ElectricBlanketFire (25)
5. emag (25)
5. Massa (25)
5. McHuj (25)
5. melfice_ (25)
5. Mlatador (25)
5. MuseManMike (25)
5. gblues (25)
5. NinjaBoiX (25)
5. Notrollious (25)
5. P90 (25)
5. Phoenician_Viking (25)
5. gketter (25)
5. plagiarize (25)
5. Platinumstorm (25)
5. Rollo Larson (25)
5. Scipius (25)
5. sflufan (25)
5. AltogetherAndrews (25)
5. Incitemaybe (25)
5. IoCaster (25)
5. televator (25)
5. thequickandthedead (25)
5. DiscoJer (25)
5. JordanLMiller (25)
5. Tofa7 (25)
5. Tom_Cody (25)
5. antitrop (25)
5. Drago (25)
5. Leon S. Kennedy (25)
5. Luap (25)
6. RatskyWatsky (33)
7. Yirba (34)
8. TalesOfWin (35)
9. A Huge Battleship (41)
9. A Pretty Panda (41)
9. TheSeks (41)
10. TaroYamada (42)

Almost everyone with 0 affinity seems to have an incredibly poorly formatted one-game list to the point where I wonder if some of them were disqualified and showed up in the list anyway.

 

[Uno Venova]

I could tell Journey would get the win, real happy about that, but my victory is Sleeping Dogs being so high, such a fun open world.

 

[Pie and Beans]

You all just jelly. Enough of my Superior Taste-bro's are representin' on these here pages!

Tempted to comb through the absolute bottom end of the voting list and do a 2012's unplayed gems topic. Fall of Cybertron definitely has fallen under a ton of peoples radars. I also feel kinda bad Binary Domain just missed some Top 20 showtime when I had it in my Honourable Mentions.

 

[nckillthegrimace]

Awesome that I got quoted under Mass Effect 3.

I wish I had gotten quoted.

 

[Dion Blaster]

I know these have different voting systems etc, but if you just create a crude "dominance" factor by dividing points of the GOTY by the points of the runner up...

1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves [PS3] (2009) 1.867
2. Resident Evil 4 [GC][PS2] (2005) 1.861
3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess [GC][WII] (2006) 1.525
4. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots [PS3] (2008) 1.350
5. Portal 2 [360][PS3][PC] (2011) 1.278
6. Super Mario Galaxy [WII] (2007) 1.263
7. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater [PS2] (2004) 1.246
8. Mass Effect 2 [PC][360] (2010) 1.109
9. Journey [PS3] (2012) 1.016
10. ??? 2013 title ???

What was the point systems during some of those years? This ratio should be compared to whatever the 1st:2nd place ratio was.

 

[Roto13]

Journey is terrible, but I'm happy to see at least one games-of-the-year list that doesn't forget that handhelds exist.

 

[Electivirus]

Here's the list of Sexy Smart Individuals, as determined by the affinity data of people who agreed with me:

1. Electivirus (106)
2. anon_mastermind (91)
3. SpacePirate Ridley (90)
4. NFreak (83)
5. Mushroomer25 (82)
5. timetokill (82)
7. SteveWinwood (80)
8. EatChildren (79)
9. Kangi (77)
10. Neon_Icarus (76)

WOO BROFIST

 

[Acquiescence]

I know these have different voting systems etc, but if you just create a crude "dominance" factor by dividing points of the GOTY by the points of the runner up...

1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves [PS3] (2009) 1.867
2. Resident Evil 4 [GC][PS2] (2005) 1.861
3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess [GC][WII] (2006) 1.525
4. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots [PS3] (2008) 1.350
5. Portal 2 [360][PS3][PC] (2011) 1.278
6. Super Mario Galaxy [WII] (2007) 1.263
7. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater [PS2] (2004) 1.246
8. Mass Effect 2 [PC][360] (2010) 1.109
9. Journey [PS3] (2012) 1.016
10. ??? 2013 title ???

Why have you got question marks next to 2013? We already know it's going to be The Last of Us.

 

[JWong]

2013 will be the year Dota 2 officially launches and I expect GAF to vote it up quite high.

DotA 2 is not that popular around here.

 

[olimpia84]

Glad to see Journey win even though I must admit I haven't played The Walking Dead yet (and I know I'm going to like it).
Disappointing to see Xenoblade a bit low but it makes sense since it was already released in other regions in previous years.

 

[startyourengine]

holy cow, thanks for the effort OP. this is awesome.

 

[Neiteio]

WOO BROFIST

We are now obligated by GAF law to fuse and become one.

 

[sappyday]

I wish I had the same experience that many had with Journey.

However I'm glad The Walking Dead made it #2.