Topic: Discussing Game of the Year - GOTY 2018

I saw a few comments already regarding the Game of the Year. So, in my email wisdom, I decided to create a discussion thread for it.

Some critical acclaimed games in 2018:

• God of War
• Monster Hunter World
• Dragon Quest XI
• Spider-Man
• Celeste

Some upcoming contenders:

• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Life is Strange 2
• Assassin's Creed Odessey
• Soul Calibur 6
• Mega Man 11

So... What is your GOTY so far? Who do you reckon will win?

The year is certainly backloaded. Embarrassingly, the only 2018 release I’ve played so far I think is Shadow of the Collosus, which is probably one of my favorite (or at least most impactful) games of all time. So if we are including remasters then it could be on the list of contenders.
I would think Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Valkyria Chronicles 4, Divinity Original Sin 2, Far Cry 5, and even Kiwami 2 will all garner some fan votes.

My top 3 so far:
God of War
Detroit: Become Human
Monster Hunter World

I think GOTY will be between GOW and RDR2.

@Fight_Teza_Fight Man, I forgot about Detroit. Also one I haven’t played yet but know would be on many people’s list.

Wow... erm - Ikaruga released on Switch this year right?

That or SotC.

I've nothing against the big hitters - at all. But the more I saw of GoW and more recently Spider-Man, really made me think again about paying full price for either, when it comes down to brass tacks, they just don't really seem to be offering anything new (stunning presentations aside). So GotY may as well be two of the finest games ever released, released again!

Mine is Shadow of the Colossus so far. I know it seems strange to name a remaster, but it had almost as much impact on me as it did the first time around. I also replayed it a lot this time, whereas on the PS2 I only played it once.

I can see why a lot of people are saying God of War though, great game.

To be honest, I do think the Game of the Year hasn't actually released and games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Assassin's Creed could be in the nominations too along with Spider-Man and God of War.

If I had to base it purely on games released thus far, God of War would be my Game of the Year with Far Cry 5 as a runner up. Its hard to see any game surpassing RDR2 though when it comes to the critics choice at the end of the year. I can see some not being 'content' with that decision - especially if they don't really like a certain RPG Western.

I've only played Detroit from the games released this year so that's on my list. I reckon Red Dead Redemption 2, Divinity 2 and Dragon Quest XI will be too, after I play them.

@Th3solution Don’t know if it will be in the conversation for GOTY, as it’s very divisive, but it is for me.

There were times were I enjoyed it more than God of War. Beat the game twice with different choices and enjoyed both playthroughs tremoundously.
It also has the best menu screen ever .

honestly out of all of those i have played God of War, Spider-Man isn't out yet and the only other one i'm planing on buying this year is Megaman 11 so i don't think i should really be voting

although i might get Shadow of the Tomb Raider IF i can find the funds for it

still if i was to pick out of those 3 based on what i have seen so far then it would be God of War because not only did it bring back an old and lets be honest worn out game series but also invigorated it and made it feel all new again

Spider-Man looks to be a sold action game and MM11 looks to be a throwback to the old games but i think God of War did more

In looking over the year, others to consider not yet mentioned that are highly rated with a big following:
Dead Cells, Yakuza 6
Others yet to come that look potentially impressive: Just Cause 4, Fallout 76, Darksiders 3, Spyro Reignited ...

@Th3solution Include whatever you want. A game like Gorogoa is a 2017 game, but it was released on PS4 in 2018, so I think it's fair if people want to include it. Something similar for Hollow Knight.

If someone wants to discuss a certain DLC or older games-as-a-eervice it's all fine by me.

@KALofKRYPTON Blames God of War for being 'nothing new', names two antique video games as possible GOTY.

My personal GOTY so far is Celeste so far, but I can't see myself holding on to that opinion till the end of the year.

@Kidfried yeah, so GotY may as well be something old that's still better than most of what's new

Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Not TECHNICALLY 2018, but a December release last year. Kind of hard to play a 100+ hour JRPG in one month, so I'm counting it. Easily my favorite Xeno- game to date.

If it HAS to be TECHNICALLY a 2018 release, then Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon.

Best game I've played overall this year, however, has been Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony.

I think God of War will likely end up running away with the actual award, though, so good for it and anyone interested in it.

I haven't played God of War yet, but the camera and direction already has me convinced it should be up for GOTY's. I think that's not merely presentation, but influences your whole gameplay experience.

Recently I've been playing God of War 3. And while the gameplay is fun, the camera direction constantly breaks my immersion, due to strange cuts or its positioning. I think God of War really does something new with it, and its impact on gameplay is way bigger.

Also, to me it feels like video games throwing off the shackles of movies. Uncharted is great, but it tries very hard to be a movie. God of War instead embraces being a game completely and does its thing in a way only a videogame can.

@KratosMD @Ralizah Last year, the GOTY on the forums was picked before Xenoblade was released (December, 2017). So, I think it's only fair to accept it this time around.

Not played a whole lot of 2018 releases yet. Off the top of my head (and there may be more) the only ones are God of War, Bloodstained Curse of the Moon, Ni No Kuni and Forgotton Anne. I just got Dragon Quest XI and have started playing that, too. The next few months have a lot more I'd like to play for sure, but probably won't have time this year.

Of the one's I have completed God of War and Bloodstained are the only ones I would say are legit GotY material. Ni No Kuni was nice and enjoyable, but I didn't get that spark from it, y'know?

@mookysam Bloodstained is amazing! I was expecting just another cheap retro indie title, but it really feels like the long, lost best Castlevania game on the NES!

So far my GOTY is Octopath Traveler on the Switch. I seriously can not put this game down. It reminds me alot of the old SNES RPHs like FF III or Chrono Trigger.

However with that said most of the games I am looking forward too like Red Dead 2, Spiderman, Battlefield V, Spyro etc haven't been released yet so it's quite possible I might change my GOTY.