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[phant0m]

Crimson Desert and it isn't close.

RE9 was great game but I've already got twice the hours in CD and it will retain my attention for quite a bit longer

I think the only game with a chance to beat it for my GOTY is GTA6.

 

[Cumulus]

So far I enjoyed NiOh3 the most, and that's despite its difficulty level being way too low for a NiOh game.

 

[BennyBlanco]

StS2 or mewgenics

 

[Corian33]

I've had a good time with Crimson Desert and Marathon, but my favorite of the quarter has to go to Xenonauts 2. After like 8 years in early access it's finally complete and I'm having a great time going through the campaign.

Old school style XCOM experience, gradually getting stronger but always just a little behind the curve. Playing on Ironman so I've lost quite a few soldiers along the way, but the mission continues.

 

[Hugare]

RE 9 is the "better game" so far, but it was also more of the same and so by the numbers

So my pick goes to Crimson Desert. Is probably the best open world I've ever experienced. Flawed, but fascinating. Feels fresh and bold like few games this generation did.

 

[Pejo]

I can't imagine a game coming out this decade, much less this year that will top Crimson Desert for me, personally.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

I've only played Pokopia from this year's offerings as of yet.

 

[SpiceRacz]

It's currently Slay the Spire 2.

FUCK. I forget about STS2. Easily the best game of 2026 so far.

 

[TheDarkPhantom]

It's always good to know what people have actually played to put things into context:

Nioh 3 - plat trophy
Romeo - finished
RE9 - plat trophy
Crimson Desert - 50 hours
Marathon - 200 hours
Hades 2 - just started it last night
Pragmata - waiting for my physical copy to arrive

Marathon leads the pack, a game that took me completely by surprise, a game I talked shit about pre-release, a game unlike anything else I've ever played before. Still have a long way to go in Crimson Desert so it might eclipse it, Hades 2 is already incredible, played 6 hours straight last night. Saros is the big dawg as far as the first half of 2026 is concerned, super hyped, let's see what happens.

 

[reinking]

Right now? Pokopia

At the time of this posting. There are dozen of us.

 

[LyricalShrike]

I find Marathon and Pokopia equally fun. I picked marathon since I've played it more. Project Gorgon follows closely behind. It counts because it left early access in January.

 

[mrpants]

Still playing pokopia daily

 

[yogaflame]

I will wait for saros , wolverine and gta 6 before i fully decide. But for now, i give it a tie between re9 and crimson

 

[Poppyseed]

I really wish it could be Requiem, but they dropped the ball on so many things that I just can't give it to it, so Crimson Desert gets my vote so far. Unless Pragmata really pulls it out the bag, that could inch its way in.

I beat Requiem but it really did shit the bed on the second half and became far less interesting. It's a good game but not even close to GotY material.

 

[JimmyRustler]

RE9 for me.

But the best game I played this year is No Rest for the Wicked Early Access.

 

[Alan Wake]

Resident Evil Requiem. It's not the perfect RE experience but Grace's part is amazing and Leon is bad ass super hero you just can't dislike.

Reanimal was a little disappointment.

Next up is Pragmata. High expectations for this one!

 

[nnytk]

Its pretty tough, Nioh 3 is incomplete without the DLC and NG+ cycles, and Crimson Desert is fun and addictive but has way too many issues to be a GOTY. Like way too many.

Sorry, but I literally do not believe anyone playing CD is not regularly going to find themselves annoyed by some bone-headed design decision in their path!

Exactly my thoughts.

My pick goes to RE: Requiem. The quality of Requiem is just insane. Best game I've played in years and one of the few games I felt compelled to finish in a few days, not moving on to anything else. IQ on PS5 Pro was also incredible, I loved looking around the details and rooms, mindfully.

I haven't played MH Stories 3, looks top tier too. And I just started Pragmata and it feels like a banger. Capcom is killing it. Also kind of hyped for Saros - seems like a sci-fi / Housemarquee version of Hades 2.

 

[Yamisan]

Mongil Star Dive.

 

[ahtlas7]

Honestly, there is no competition.

 

[keefged4]

Requiem. So far anyway. Crimson desert is good, but not goty imo. If GTA actually comes out this year then it'll be that though, let's be honest.

 

[Hector Hall]

It would be a tie between Trails Beyond the Horizon and Resident Evil Requiem.

 

[Valt7786]

I beat Requiem but it really did shit the bed on the second half and became far less interesting. It's a good game but not even close to GotY material.

It's just unbelievable to me that they made a big deal about going back to Raccoon City and the whole section is a straight forward fetch quest through generic ruined buildings. This would have been prime time to go through the clocktower, the park, the dead factory etc, something like that. RPD if you follow the critical path is 2 minutes long. Enemy variety, especially in the lab, was terrible as well. The zombies dont seem to have the "memories" they do in the care home, Just lickers? Where's the hunters, dogs (outside of the loony tunes bike chase), something new? Just such a let down for me. I enjoyed my time with the game, even platinum'd it, but those points always stand out to me.

 

[Doggyred]

I would say the 11 hours I played of RE9 are better than any 11 hours out of 100 that I played for so far of Crimson Dessert but I would still choose Crimson Desert because the scope of the game is unmatched

 

[Laptop1991]

I haven't got it yet, but i would say Crimson Desert so far, way out in front at the minute in gameplay anyway.

 

[Hector Hall]

It's just unbelievable to me that they made a big deal about going back to Raccoon City and the whole section is a straight forward fetch quest through generic ruined buildings. This would have been prime time to go through the clocktower, the park, the dead factory etc, something like that. RPD if you follow the critical path is 2 minutes long. Enemy variety, especially in the lab, was terrible as well. The zombies dont seem to have the "memories" they do in the care home, Just lickers? Where's the hunters, dogs (outside of the loony tunes bike chase), something new? Just such a let down for me. I enjoyed my time with the game, even platinum'd it, but those points always stand out to me.

To be frank, zombies in the care home are just converted and with a new virus that tries to keep some consciousness on the host. Zombies on Racoon are mummyfied old style zombies dustbags that have spent 20 years between isolation and radiation.

 

[Zamana]

Game design for RE9?

Yes, game design is designing the rules and content of video games as well as designing the gameplay, environment, storyline and characters (wiki definition).

RE9.

- gameplay? great.
- environment/level design? 60% is great
- storyline? I mean it's cheesy RE
- characters? iconic and easily the best in the industry

The first half imo is stellar game design, the trauma center stage is just excellent design from all sides, gameplay, audio, visuals and atmosphere is 10/10. Leon sections are a bit off in the visuals and atmosphere ( esp. R City) but the gameplay still remained top notch, headshotting those gun wielding zombies while getting mortar shelled was super fun and cathartic.

Again, this is a personal opinion, you're bound to your own. No beef.

 

[StereoVsn]

Haven't really bought anything new this year yet. Backlog plus catching up on some stuff on GoG.

I will get Crimson Desert at some point (give it a few months more of patches) and Caves of Qud sounds pretty interesting (thx bender ), but nothing for now or near future.

 

[truth411]

SAROS.

 

[Lucifers Beard]

I love Crimson Desert, but the answer is Requiem and it's not even close.

 

[MiguelItUp]

Not many games in this list that I've played, but I feel like Requiem makes the most sense in the list (that I've played).

But, I feel something better will come along.

 

[yurinka]

I'm between RE Requiem and Marathon. Soon I assume Pragmata or Saros may be there. It's going the be a tough year to make a short list of candidates.

 

[SJRB]

Crimson Desert by a country mile. What an amazing achievement and what an insane underdog/comeback story.

 

[Rambone]

As much as I ended up loving Pokopia and played it like an addicted fiend, Resident Evil Requiem for sure.

 

[HRK69]

I'm waiting for a sale, but I'm pretty excited for it after Jusant and craving a more grounded experience.

Alright man, that sounds like a solid plan. Be sure to drop your route in the OT when you finished the game. There's also free DLC coming this summer!

I'm waiting for the right time to play Jusant but it's definitely on my list to check out soon

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

Crimson Desert has been soaking up a ton of my time and, while I really liked the demo, I didn't expect Pragmata to be as good as it is.

Exceeded my expectations. Controls, Graphics, Characters, Character Performances, all of it...it is fantastic. Def my action game of the year at the very least.

 

[Dr. Samuel Hayden]

Marathon for providing a high amount of unintentional entertainment.