The Game Awards [2020]
- Thread starter Unknown Soldier
- Start date
That's pretty impressive, but literally half of those are not Sony games, they come from 3P x3. I figure it'd make more sense to celebrate those game nominations for the actual publishers of them, no?
On that note, big ups to Sega and Atlus for P5R and 12 Sentinels making the cut; especially considering their current losses that forced them to sell the arcade establishment side of things to Genda, if they win for either game that'd be a big boost. Hopefully simply getting nominated will get the games even more attention (I'd want this for any of the underdogs tbh).
Also it seems some are upset Ori 2 was snubbed of a nomination, but I figure the game releasing in a bugged state initially has a lot to do with it. Hopefully it still gets some award in a couple other categories at least.
Honestly? I don't think TLOUII did a lot to push things forward in meaningful ways outside of character facial and body animations, which is probably the big reason it's been nominated and rightly so for that I suppose.
But the story? The story really isn't well-told IMHO. It's not even about the stuff some other people rage about, either; just the way a large chunk of it is structured, the way it's paced, the overly depressive tone (seriously, there are Soviet post-apocalyptic films from the '70s and '80s with more optimism than this game's story), certain thematic elements, etc...
Add to that the gameplay is basically TLOU1 with some very slight refinements, and even simplified puzzles from the already-simplified ones in the first game. So comparing it with many of those other nominations, my question is does it do enough? IMO, no not really.
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Unknown Soldier
Veteran
The Tweet doesn't say Sony 1P games .. it's says PlayStation Exclusives .. and they are all currently PlayStation Exclusives, well until next year when FFVII goes to Xbox as well.
I know, but it just kind of seems like a means to stretch the umbrella further than need be. And at least, a bit like giving credit due to one dev/pub to another just because the other is the platform holder. Kind of washes out the focus on the 3P dev/pub feels like.
And it's not like Sony needs any stretching of the proverbial umbrella to make a strong case for their 1P output this year; the four games listed there they developed/published this year alone are arguably the strongest batch of any publisher this year (even despite my own opinions on TLOU II)
Unknown Soldier
Veteran
Naa, that's your imagination. I don't blame you though, I have done the same with Spencer's quote which I initially read as meaning things but reading them again and taking them at face value, I realise that it's my imagination or bias that caused me to read things a bit different.
Now if you were talking about the tweet above https://forum.beyond3d.com/posts/2176386/ then I would agree with you but again they are the publishers, so it's not false or misleading.
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Deleted member 11852
Guest
I agree, but what are Ghost of Tsushima, FFVII or Doom doing that's new either? To be fair, I've not played Doom but it's Doom!
BillSpencer
Regular
I agree, but what are Ghost of Tsushima, FFVII or Doom doing that's new either? To be fair, I've not played Doom but it's Doom!
Ghost of Tsushima at least to me, proved that 'Ubisoft' games can be really good and entertaining
that is an industry achievement that should be recognised.But in all fairness there is a certain streamline to the game that critics could appreciate I'd presume.
Unknown Soldier
Veteran
I really enjoyed GoT, the art direction of the game with all the moving trees, grass, leaves, changing colour scenes and the wind is really amazing. And it was pulled off on the base PS4.Ghost of Tsushima at least to me, proved that 'Ubisoft' games can be really good and entertaining
But in all fairness there is a certain streamline to the game that critics could appreciate I'd presume.
That said, I was also amazed at the beautiful graphics, real life looking models, environment textures etc. in TLOU2.
IMO, they are equally amazing in their own right for what they pulled out and showed on my 1.84TF PS4. There's no other game I have seen before or since that compares.
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Deleted member 11852
Guest
Assassin's Creed is a franchise that launched early in the 360/PS3 generation and accepting Valhalla its the third iteration since the RPG-ification, it's clearly selling well to warrant a lot of resources to be poured into each game so can only take away that a lot of people enjoy this Ubisoft franchise enough for it to survive and evolve over three console generations.Ghost of Tsushima at least to me, proved that 'Ubisoft' games can be really good and entertaining
Sure, but it's not doing anything new. What it does, it does exceedingly well, I love Ghost of Tsushima. But equally I bought Valhalla for PS5 - which I will dive into today - after reviews explained made it a more focussed affair and offered a guaranteed assassination option. This was my big bugbear with Odyssey, I don't feel like assassin's you have to chip away in 20 blows to some somebody. If you need to do this, you're a rubbish assassin.
BillSpencer
Regular
Assassin's Creed is a franchise that launched early in the 360/PS3 generation and accepting Valhalla its the third iteration since the RPG-ification, it's clearly selling well to warrant a lot of resources to be poured into each game so can only take away that a lot of people enjoy this Ubisoft franchise enough for it to survive and evolve over three console generations.
Sure, but it's not doing anything new. What it does, it does exceedingly well, I love Ghost of Tsushima. But equally I bought Valhalla for PS5 - which I will dive into today - after reviews explained made it a more focussed affair and offered a guaranteed assassination option. This was my big bugbear with Odyssey, I don't feel like assassin's you have to chip away in 20 blows to some somebody. If you need to do this, you're a rubbish assassin.
I stopped finishing AC games years ago so for me Tsushima was amazingly polished and fresh even. I understand that AC took a more RPG approach which could be nice as well. Maybe I have to get the new one after all..
That is true. While my Pro is good for what it dit and how much it cost, my Launch PS4 could have easily lasted the generation without feeling sorry for how it ran the 'last' games
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Deleted member 11852
Guest
Likewise. I only finished Assassin's Creed 2, Black Flag and Unity. I skilled AC3 and Origins entirely.
I really liked Odyssey but the opening was 5-7 hours, then you get thrown into the whole war mechanics, then 20 hours in they throw a whole bunch of new mechanics at you having to hunt down individuals in an organisation and you have the usual Ubisoft thing where the map is obscured with symbols for things I don't care about and gear just became a paid to manage. It was the RPG-ification of combat was what did for me but the reviews of Valhalla say there is an option that allows you yo insta-assassinate people there is far gear to manage and that there are also far fewer inconsequential side-quests.
I shall find out soon enough!
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Johnny Awesome
Veteran
This was a great year for Sony, for sure. Ori WotW and Flight Sim 2020 should have been on the list though and maybe even Gears Tactics which has a great blend of story and tactics.
I agree, but what are Ghost of Tsushima, FFVII or Doom doing that's new either? To be fair, I've not played Doom but it's Doom!
Personally, I don't necessarily think GOTY deserves to only go to games that are doing something "new", because something being new doesn't automatically mean it's going to be good. It all comes down to the implementation and at least in terms of TLOU II's story, I think the implementation left a lot to be desired.
Then again I kind of have this other idea that the industry should probably focus more on games that excel in the area of game mechanics, systems, level design etc., things very much unique to the medium and not necessarily predicated on narrative or story techniques borrowed heavily from a completely different medium. But that is a very different topic x3.
Yeah, that post quoted there (the tweet, specifically) is more of the type of thing that's kinda "hmmm...". Like they'r lumping the Sega/Atlus games in with the PlayStation category, even though Sega's a 3P publisher.
Unless they are doing a different metric for the platform category, maybe the platform listing itself acting as an aggregate and the other publisher-specific listings tying into that? If they had a listing for Sony specifically in that same tweet, for example, it'd support them doing that method but without something like that, the criteria for that listing looks cheeky.
I don't think a pure flight sim would quite get the appreciation for GOTY, though I think it should've atleast been nominated for a Best Graphics category. On a technical and visual features level it's the best looking game of the year...if you've got a setup capable enough to do it justice
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Deleted member 11852
Guest
True, if you look back at most GOTY winners, it is games that are doing something new or stand out on some way.
I find my personal Game of the Year tallies with wider industry awards about 50% of the time.
That's probably higher than my ratio xD. But for me it gets even worst on those "Top 50 Games of All Time" type of lists. SO many incredible games just get completely sidelined or ignored, because they aren't popular enough, or because they were on an obscure console or "before someone's time" (if games are art then they should be timeless IMO).
mattgibbs11
Newcomer
My vote goes to The Last of Us Part II
Silent_Buddha
Legend
Just for comparison, these were last years nominations.
So, maybe it isn't a good sign that my vote would be for Ghost of Tsushima.
However, in my favor, at least last year, they voted for the game with the best gameplay and NOT the game that "pushed gaming".
Regards,
SB
- Control
- Death Stranding
- Resident Evil 2
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- The Outer Worlds
So, maybe it isn't a good sign that my vote would be for Ghost of Tsushima.
However, in my favor, at least last year, they voted for the game with the best gameplay and NOT the game that "pushed gaming".
Regards,
SB
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Deleted member 13524
Guest
If this is the case, then the game awards would have become a political tool, at which point they've become worthless to the gaming industry.
Just like the Oscars gradually became worthless for the film industry.
Silent_Buddha
Legend
How sad.
I once eagerly awaited news out of BioWare. Now I just assume that whatever they show is going to be a game that is almost purely crap (to me). From arguably the premiere RPG maker in the world, to just another part of EA shoveling out crap.
Regards,
SB
