Splatoon is the true game of the year, really.

I'm more convinced now that had the GBeast crew finished Life is Strange before the deliberations, Austin would have had it in his top 10 and there'd be a good chance of it being a real contender for Vinny and Alex's GOTY. Maybe it doesn't beat Splatoon for Alex, but Vinny's love for adventure games might have been enough for it to top his list.

But yeah, hella awesome for the game to actually be that high on their lists despite not having finished it, especially considering it's a narrative-focused game!

Love the love for SOMA on the Staff picks.

For what it's worth, I don't really think Jeff was saying that pejoratively, but rather was using it as an example of why Splatoon is such a weird and cool thing, especially coming from Nintendo. There's no short number of things I think Jeff says about games that are either off the mark or based on unfair prejudices/early impressions, but I'd kind of agree with him here.

I'm super glad GBeast exists and Alex's list is a direct demonstration of why. I feel there are a ton of games here that would likely have never been touched without the GBeast spin.

This year's GotY has placed a huge lense over issues with awards of this nature at all. That being that people only have so much time to see a very specific slice of content per year.

It was not the games that appear on anyone's list that I am disappointed by, but the lack of games appearance simply due to the fact that they were not played. Due to people prejudging an IP or simply underestimating the game from it's premise.

I can only hope that this becomes a teachable moment for the GB staff that perhaps they should take some risks like our friend Patrick Klepek and step outside their comfort zones to expose some truly amazing gems.

Nice to see Life is Strange and Lara Croft getting some love.

Life is Strange deserves all the love.

This is probably the closest staff list to mine again this year. Haven't played Her Story or Life is Strange yet though.

Alex, you're a man after my own heart for putting 19 games on a top 10 list. I'm bad at picking favorites too.

I feel guilty for not playing Splatoon enough.

Having just beatin Soma 5 minutes before reading this. My eyes still a bit moist. I cant express how much sci fi fans should go play it. Its so fucking good. Now im going to go resume listening to the goty podcasts because I stopped at best moment for fear of Soma spoilers.

@hassun: I legitimately thought the Dreamcast remark was a compliment!

I absolutely love Splatoon... I'm still regularly playing it.

@jbg4: @yummytreesap:

Maybe, it just felt like damning it with faint praise. Same for the comment about the game being the best shooter saying more about the other shooters this year than about Splatoon.

I don't think people are giving witcher the spot it deserves because they like Alex can't come back. Syndicate rise and witcher 3 are my top 3 games easily but that's because I don't have any friends to play games with so a lot of these I never got to try

Alex! We want to play your Mario Maker levels!

Great list and its good to see Until Dawn and Life Is Strange getting much deserved respect. Those were two of the most surprisingly enjoyable games I played this year. Great stories, great characters and just enjoyable to play by being focused.

Splatoon!

The one true GOTY list, Alex never lets me down.

I always like reading Alex's stuff. And I have to get back to Soma. If you reversed what he said for Soma and Until Dawn, at least in the apprehension department, that is what would apply to me. Never will play Until Dawn.

And the Giant Bomb best personal top 10 list of the year goes to Alex!

Good list.

Fuck Emily. The saga continues.

Nice list; also liked your thoughts in the GOTY talks although you can't win them all.

Wow, Splatoon at #1! I keep waiting for it to go on sale, but it founds like a full price worthy purchase.

Woo Splatoon!

More guns of navarro please alex; not to pressure you or anything and obviously you don't have to do it, but only cause youre such a damn fine writer and i would so love to see more.

@bybeach: until dawn just seems too goofy/slasher flick for me while SOMA just feels built on pure dread. Regardless, due to all the hype on this site it sits on my hard drive ready and waiting for when im not a wuss.

I'm so glad I'm not alone with Splatoon at No. 1. Had to stare at it a bit before I recognized the truth but by god, it has earned it.

Navarro! Fuck, I gotta stop this crap and get a wii u. Awesome list.

I love this list like I love Emily, which is a lot. Also that paragraph on Emily is top-notch.

Nice list! Gotta play some of these and restart Splatoon.

Team Ems

@alex penning his thoughts to paper like a boss.

Alex: secret best writer on the site.

@bamse: agreed, great list, but I feel like Rocket League is way overrated. It's a simple game that I get tired of very quickly lol

That's the great thing about these personal Top 10's. Nothing is overrated. Rocket League is exactly where it needs to be on this list, Alex's list.

For me, it won't touch my Top 10. I don't like it that much.

I will never play Splatoon and that makes me sad.

thank you for putting Life Is Strange on here