Hello everyone and welcome to a very belated edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight and I, @zombiepie am once again honored to be your host as we look back and enjoy the last TWO weeks of user-created content on the site. For those of you that may not know, the Spotlight always goes on a short hiatus whenever GOTY rolls around. That said, I think we can agree that, given the circumstances, the staff did a bang up job with the bevy of guest lists on the site and hours worth of GOTY podcasting. I had a good laugh during some of the sillier categories and I know everyone has their favorite guest list this GOTY season and feel free to share it in the comments! Likewise, it is worth mentioning that last week marked Ben's last day as a member of the Giant Bomb staff. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank Ben for all of the memories and the endless amount of content he provided. Whatever you end up doing, I wish you thing but the best. With that in mind, let's jump into the site housekeeping.
- Giant Bomb's 2020 GOTY Portal! If you are worried you may have missed some of the guests or live-streams, then this is the link for you!
- The VOTES ARE IN and the Giant Bomb Community GOTY 2020 HAS BEEN CROWNED! Click the link to find out which game came out on top!
- TRACKSUITS SHOULD BE ARRIVING! If you haven't received a shipping notice for this or your Vinnyvania shirt, please email orders at http://socialimprints.com to inquire!
- Comment on the Ben Pack Appreciation thread if you have not done so already. As I said, Ben provided an endless amount of memorable content on the site and deserves a proper thank you in lieu of his leaving.
GOTY 2020
Author's Note: Given that the site GOTY content has wrapped up this is probably the last time I will have a dedicated section for user-created 2020 GOTY stuff. If you were not able to get around to creating your list, no worries! I'll happily accept GOTY lists and blogs well into the summer! As Big Jeffrey would say "drop 'em."
User-Created GOTY Lists
- Games of 2020 (By: @aggrocraig)
- GOTY 2020 (By: @wess)
- 2020 Game of the Year (By: @ozone)
- GOTY 2020 (By: @amlabella)
- A Very 2020 Top 10 (By: @processr)
- GOTY 2020 (By: @chaser324)
- GOTY 2020: This Time, It's GOTY (By: @undeadpool)
- Best Of 2020 (By: @sweep)
- FNGbomber's Top 8+1 Games of 2020 (By: @fngbomber)
- GOTY 2020 (By: @razakiel)
- The 10 Best Games I Played In 2020 (By: @aires)
- Best of 2020 (By: @rjayb89)
- 2020 Games, Some Of The Best Ones (By: @bigevil1987)
- Game of the Year 2020 (As Played, Not Released) (By: @aodhhinsai)
- Top 11ish Games of 2020 (By: @holland1946)
GOTY Blogs
Data Dump: GOTY 2020 Staff & Guests Breakdown (By: @marino)
Many thanks are in store for Marino for pulling the stats from every single applicable staff and guest list to crunch the numbers and determine Giant Bomb's "true" GOTY with math and science™!
GB Staff Top 10 Lists - DEFINITIVE GOTY LISTS (By: @timeshero)
MORE STATS! GIVE ME ALL OF THE STATS! timeshero crunched the stats on every single GOTY list of the on-site staff since 2008 to see which games "truly" should have been crowned GOTY based on math and math alone!
Clagnaught's Game of the Year, 2020 Edition (By: @clagnaught)
clagnaught exhaustively reviews their favorite games and gaming moments from 2020 with their latest blog on the site! Give it a read and support the massive effort they put into their GOTY blog!
Knight Dehumidifier’s Top 10 Things That Distracted Him From An Otherwise Awful 2020 In Which Nothing Got Accomplished (By: @knightdehumidifier)
KnightDehumidifier took a different approach to their 2020 GOTY blog! In it, they review their ten favorite video game or game-based distractions during 2020! To the right, you'll find a "taste" of what to expect!
My 2020 In Gaming (By: @gangway)
Gangway reviews their favorite games from 2020 as well as the best "classic games" they played last year on their latest blog ! Give it a read and show your support using the link!
Top 10 Games of 2020 (By: @danauer)
As many of you already know, Dan Auer is the design lead for Giant Bomb GameSpot, and GameFAQs. He published a GOTY blog you all should check out, read, and comment in support of because he does a lot of good stuff for the site. Seriously, go do it now.
Tweets
If you were in the @giantbomb GOTY stream today, you saw me spewing stats in real time.
— Brad Lynch (@MarinoV1) January 22, 2021
I have posted a blog with all of my stat analysis including staff weighted top 10s compared to the final top 10 as well as data on all 45 guest lists.https://t.co/3xHJ6uUpPT pic.twitter.com/pPfPPfznWr
Now that @giantbomb's GOTY is wrapping up, here's some of the behind the scenes work for the art direction. Whole thing needed to get done in a few days, so here's how we got the first image (mess) to the last (nice). pic.twitter.com/2sSslstFlU
— Dan Auer (@danauer) January 22, 2021
What am I gonna do with this PlayStation? Am I gonna play games, am I gonna cook with it, am I gonna fuck it? Like, what are we doing? What does it do?!
— Giant Bomb Out of Context (@giantbomb_ooc) January 29, 2021
- Jeff Gerstmann, 2019
@DanRyckert @jeffbakalar congrats on making it into Hitman 3 as NPCs. pic.twitter.com/L2mlFxzGJl
— Jeff Grubb (@JeffGrubb) January 21, 2021
hitman 3 knife vs bat @giantbomb pic.twitter.com/tVvZXJcyaG
— Patrick Lum (@jintor_au) January 25, 2021
I'm just going through all my "Ben Quotes" and maybe I'll just post a bunch of gifs of him... Here ya go @PackBenPack, I'll miss your humor and love of a good sight gag. https://t.co/N2mzQixDG4
— Giant Bomb Nonsense (@GB_Nonsense) January 26, 2021
@giantbomb Hell yeah, they're showing up! It's awesome! Thanks for everything. pic.twitter.com/KHZAhoskHq
— Chris F. (@chrisfrantastic) January 27, 2021
Yo @giantbomb y’all need a new model? I can also dual wield @jeffgerstmann fidget spinners, just say the word pic.twitter.com/SBUtbfJF0H
— ROY DONK (@bellevachee) January 27, 2021
Galleria
Giant Bomb x Bernie Sanders (By: @fobwashed)
What can I say? I love the memes!
GameStonks (By: @danauer)
As mentioned earlier, Dan Auer is the design lead for Giant Bomb and if you follow him on Twitter you can find him posting hilarious and prescient photoshop jobs featuring the Giant Bomb and GameSpot logos and icons. This one certainly is "something."
Fan Art For the 2020 New Years RPCast (By: @jochigoldenhorde)
WOW! User JochiGoldenHorde had a lot of fun sketching the Giant Bomb East RPCast with the old GBE Crew (& Austin Walker) as a poster and I think we can all agree their work of art is AMAZING!
2020 Giant Bomb GOTY Sketch (By: @morehandclaps)
morehandclaps decided to sneak in one more Ben sketch before he left! This drawing took one frame from the GOTY podcasts/streams and turned it into this amazing artwork!
Going Rogue Fanart (By: @skullmillione)
I would not have predicted that there would ever be Going Rogue fan-art, but here I am as happy as a clam having been proven wrong! Many thanks to skullmillone on Twitter for creating a tribute to one of Ben's best series on the site.
Blogs
⬢: Observation and Outside Context Problems (By: @gamer_152)
No Code's interactive narrative Observation is all about an alien encounter that goes wrong in every way possible. Read why they think the game provides a chilling portrayal of our powerlessness in the face of the unknown.
What My Backlog Means to Me (By: @daemonofthewood)
DaemonoftheWood didn't play nearly as many 2020 video game titles as they would have liked. As such, they felt inspired to write this personal blog on the site about their relationship with their "backlog."
Storefronts Do Not Matter As Much As We Think (By: @dominatehate)
dominatehate uses their latest blog on Giant Bomb to discuss why they think storefronts and digital marketplaces don't mean as much as they used to and muses on what started this trend.
Symphony Of The Mask Shows The Difference Difficulty Can Make (By: @purpleshyguy)
PurpleShyGuy played Symphony of the Mask, the third downloadable content pack for Cadence of Hyrule! Read why the DLC's difficulty spike rubbed them the wrong way
Bugsnax Is Proof That Careful Game And Narrative Design Are More Compelling Than Flashy Graphics +
Maneater Is An Inoffensive But Threadbare Shark Simulator That's Far Blander Than I Was Expecting (By: @bigsocrates)
bigsocrates had a lot of thoughts about games to share since we last checked up on them! First, bigsocrates uses their latest blog on Giant Bomb to discuss Bugsnax and share why they think it is a perfect example of how game design speaks louder than high-res graphics. Second, they decided to buy a PS5 bundle from GameStop, depsite the internet telling them that doing so was a bad idea. Finally, they decided to get around to their gaming backlog and checked out Maneater! Read why they were not impressed by its B-Tier game aesthetic.
Indie Game of the Week 203: J.U.L.I.A.: Among the Stars +
Mega Archive CD: Part III: From Night Trap to Make My Video +
Operencia's Trolls and Tribulations (By: @mento)
As always, Mento is back with a smattering of blogs this week. First, they did not let GOTY stop them from publishing a new episode of their Indie Game of the Week series and this time around they looked at J.U.L.I.A. Among the Stars. Second, Mento is pulling out the big guns for their latest retrospective on the Sega MegaDrive/Genesis with games like Night Trap and Make My Video: Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch! Finally, they share their newfound love for Operencia: The Stolen Sun from Zen Studios!
Why I Write Horror Stories (By: @thehideousshrew)
thehideousshrew shares on the site how horror video games, in particular the ones from Remedy Entertainment, got them to take up writing horror literature as a hobby and side career.
What's the Greatest Video Game: Hard West +
What's the Greatest Video Game: Psychonauts (By: @imunbeatable80)
imunbeatable80 checks out Hard West on their latest blog on the site! Give it a read and see if the Western-inspired turn-based tactics game is worth your time! Second, Psychonauts has been on their backlog for a while and they finally got around to playing and beating it! Read all about their thoughts about it and if they think it has stood the test of time!
Don't Sleep On This Game - Literally Or Metaphorically (By: @sparky_buzzsaw)
Friend of the site, sparky_buzzsaw shares their love for Sakuna: Of Rice And Ruin on their latest blog and discusses why people shouldn't sleep on this buried treasure from 2020!
Discussion Threads
What Did Everyone Think Of GOTY 2020? (By: @azuregale)
What were your impressions of the site's 2020 GOTY coverage and content? Did you enjoy or loathe it? Please share your input using the link below, but remember to keep things civil and polite!
r/wallstreetbets And Gamestonk (By: @fantasticasm89)
So... what do you all think about the GameStop stock situation? It's crazy, right? Well, if you have any thought you can join the community discussion about the debacle with your fellow users!
Hitman 3 - Reviews & Discussion (By: @glots)
Hitman 3 is the obvious big game release of the week and the forums definitely show that. Are you following the reviews and editorial coverage of Hitman 3? Are the reviews getting you excited to get your hands on it?
Does Anyone Still Book Time Off Work For A Game Release? (By: @stantongrouse)
Here's a fun discussion thread inspired by the release of Hitman 3: have you recently taken time off from work for a video game release? Have you ever done this? If so, what was the game?
What's A Good SECOND Yakuza Game To Play? (By: @mikewhy)
Fans largely agree Yakuza 0 is the best "starting point" for newcomers to the series, but that lead us to the subject of this community discussion: where do you go for your second game? Which game or games compliment 0 the best?
The Medium Is Out Now (And On Gamepass!) (By: @noboners)
Bloober Team's latest game, The Medium has launched and is available via GamePass! If you have given it a shot, join the community discussion for the game and share if you think it compare favorably to The Observer!
In The History Of All Controller Gimmicks/Innovations Rank Dual Sense (By: @senorsucks2suck)
As the title suggests, where do you rank DualSense alongside other controller-based gimmicks? Does it rank above or below Dualshock 4? How about everyone's favorite controller gimmick: Sixaxis?
Magic Legends Announcement Discussion Thread (By: @rorie)
Magic Legends has been announced and the community is split over whether or not a Diablo-like is the best "fit" for the franchise! Share if you are excited or disappointed by the announcement using the link!
Tips for Not Blowing Out Your Back (By: @ghost_cat)
Here's a thread I think everyone can relate to: how are you dealing with being stationary during the pandemic without messing up or throwing out your back? Share your tips and tricks with other community members.
Vicarious Visions Merged Into Blizzard (By: @glots)
The community is still in SHOCK about the news that Vicarious Visions will be "merging" into Blizzard. What has your reaction been to the news? Is this unfair to the team that successfully remastered Crash Bandicoot and Tony Hawk?
6th Times The Charm: RE Village Gets A Tacked On Multiplayer Mode (By: @panfoot)
Resident Evil Village is getting a multiplayer mode! Read all about it using the link below and join the community discussion if this is the right move for the game! Have previous Resident Evil multiplayer modes ever excited you?
DJ Jan Ochoa Appreciation Thread (By: @christmasunicorn)
We now have a "DJ Jan Appreciation Thread" on the forums! If you have been digging the jams Jan has been playing during the waits on the Bombcast, show your appreciation by clicking the link above and dropping a comment with lots of love!
Lists
Games of the Years + Games of the Decade - 1990's (By: SLAG)
Slag decided to award a GOTY for every year "modern" video games have existed! Give it a read using the link above and consider making a list of your own on the site! Additionally, they went back to the 1990s and awarded a GOTY for every year!
Top 10 NES Games I Lost In 2020 (By: @niflhe)
An accident caused niflhe to lose physical copies of their ten favorite NES games. Read what happened and why these games meant so much to them.
A Personal Ranking Of Naughty Dog’s Uncharted Campaigns +
A New Look Back At My Games of the Years in the 2010s(By: @infantpipoc)
infantpipoc is a "modern" fan of the works of Naughty Dog and decided to use their latest list on Giant Bomb to rank the single player campaigns they have played by them from best to worst! Likewise, they also decided to look back at the last decade and review all of their GOTYs from the 2010s.
My Favorite Action Rogue Likes On Switch (By: @laughingman)
laughingman uses their latest list to share why they think the Nintendo Switch is an underrated platform for action rogue-likes! Use the link to read all about what they think are the must play titles on the Switch!
User Reviews
- @jeffrud is starting a new review series in which they look back at the PS3 games that used SIXAXIS motion controls! This week, they look at Super Rub 'a' Dub and how it is a miracle the game isn't kusoge!
- @dudewantshisrug's Cyberpunk 2077 review to share why they think the game's issues go deeper than bugs and glitches. Read why they disliked the game's world and characters.
- @infantpipoc's Hitman 3 review shares why they found the game to be the best possible coda to IO's revival of the Hitman franchise.