Most Overlooked Game in GotY Discussions 2019

It's starting to heat up duders. Games are coming out and I'm looking forward to another heated GotY discussions this year as per our yearly tradition. What games do you think would be brushed aside or not given enough time or love by the crew? The new format of going down the list of all the notable games that came out this year certainly helps some games have their spotlight but there would still be some games which they would miss for sure given all the backlog I am assuming most of them have.

I am advocating for Slay the Spire and I hope that more people talk about it including Giant Bomb.

I played Slay the Spire and while I liked it I wouldn't put it near the top of my list, but I understand why it might be there for some. I'm not sure it's the kind of game that any of the GB staff would really fall in love with (maybe Rorie?) but it should be in the mix somewhere. However I think that it suffers from two major GOTY issues that are not its fault but will make it a weaker candidate. The first is that it was released early in the year. GOTY discussions naturally trend towards the most recent games (just because they are more salient) and while early games can definitely make their way in it's harder for candidates without a true champion or that didn't make a massive impact.

The second issue is that Slay the Spire was in early access for a while, so it didn't feel fresh and new by the time it was actually released. The people who really wanted to play the game played it years ago and the release was more likely to attract more casual fans. I think it's hard for games that went through early access to make a huge impact in their official release year because of that. Dead Cells had a similar issue, though that game was more accessible to people like the GB staff so it made it up to #2 on the list last year, but I think if it had not been an early access game it might have captured the top spot from Tetris Effect which was really just Tetris with a shiny coat of paint.

My vote for most likely to be overlooked is Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair. Many platformer fans are saying it's the best 2D platformer in years but I think that the negative reception of the original Yooka-Laylee along with the release date (this is a game that would have made a much bigger impact as a spring or summer release) are causing it to slip out of the discussion. I personally really like the original Yooka-Laylee and I think the characters and world are kind of charming so I'm really looking forward to playing Impossible Lair, but I think it's destined to be a hidden gem.

I am betting Metro Exodus will get overlooked as its a release from early in the year, I don't believe many of them even played the game, and I don't think a single one beat the game (even though its an FPS and not super long), and the little I did hear was negative if I remember right.

Sekiro will probably also get overlooked, as while a few played the game, I don't think any of them got even halfway through the game and its just too hard a game for the crew in general.

I think both of these are Game of the Year contenders also, especially Metro.

If Vinny doesn't get his hands on Disco Elysium then it's dead in the water.

Total War: Three Kingdoms and Disco Elysium are probably both at risk of not even being mentioned.

There are quite a few other games though that will likely be brought up but severely underrated - Fire Emblem: Three Houses for instance.

DMC5 and FE: Three Houses are the two best games to come out this year but will likely barely be mentioned.

We'll see if Jan can single-handedly convince everyone Pokemon Sword & Shield is a thing.

With Switcher, does Witcher 3 finally have a chance at redemption?

No?

Biggest travesty in GB GOTY history...yes, worse than Minerva’s Den...

Looking back, I guess Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove.

While it won’t make their top 10 (it’s PROBABLY on mine), if the music isn’t at least considered for best music, it’ll be a sham category.

Smart money is on Sekiro.

@chaser324: Yeah, I get the sense that nobody is going to seriously go up to bat for FE: Three Houses. Optimistically, maybe it’ll make #9 or #10 on the overall site’s list. Pessimistically, maybe it only makes it onto the personal top 10 list of like Dan and Ben, and some guest top 10s (Greg Kasavin, etc.).

I think FE 3 Houses will get mentions from Dan and Ben come GOTY time since they played it for a good amount. I don’t think both will make a strong push for it in certain categories or for the top 10 though. Dan and Ben might use that energy for Super Mario Maker 2 instead of we’re talking about Switch exclusives the crew will love.

I’m fearing Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown is gonna be completely forgotten in the GOTY discussions though. Dan played it and liked it, but I don’t see much support from anyone else and it might not get much or any mentions. AC7 NEEDS to be discussed for Best Music at least. To me it’s the best OST this year but it probably won’t get mentioned because the GB folks except for Dan didn’t get around to play the game. Though in all seriousness I’m still looking forward to all the discussions this year and Best Music should still be fun nonetheless. Vinny at least better bring up Later Alligator for Best Music.

It will be disco elysium and there will be never ending moaning about it until the end of the time

Children of Morta is a game published by the developers of This War of Mine and Frostpunk, that will likely go past everyone here, since the attention it got from the community is close to 0. For those unaware of it, the game is a dungeon crawler roguelite with very detailed pixelart graphics and couch co-op where you play as a family in charge of guarding a sacred mountain. Each family member has different mechanics and combat style, and they have individual and shared levelling as well as upgradable stats similar to Rogue Legacy. The central hub is their house where they share some slice of life moments in addition to those end of the world moment, which really helps flesh out the characters. It lessen the impact of the "rogue" genre by being able to select the dungeon, having scenes that happen regardless of you beating them, and upgrades and XP carrying on from play to play...

Many of the things I mention sound generic, but it truly is better than I can describe it on the surface. It has some issues of discoverability, since I found it semi-randomly via youtube, and it is pretty good. Decent gameplay and pretty good writing... however, I never heard it mentioned in the podcast, the only images on the site are from some PAX, and no quick look, so I have no hope of anyone mentioning it, outside maybe some guest lists.

@nutter: I'm with you, but Witcher 3 had its day. Maybe Giant Bomb didn't appreciate it as much as everyone else, but that game cleaned out award season: 2015.

Hypnospace outlaw, probably. It's niche and a little disjointed so it's easy to fall off.

@rahf: Agreed. My tongue was planted firmly in cheek as I wrote that.

One of my favorites of all time, it didn’t hit with Giant Bomb, in large. Totally cool.

I am legitimately slightly...miffed...about Minerva’s Den, though. It’s a hell of a segment to go back and listen to.

Not sure if this says more about me or the game in question, but I had to google FE Three Houses to figure out what people were talking about...

no question, fire emblem will get mentioned but no one will go to bat for it.

which is a shame because that game is super solid.

@mellotronrules: but it has also never been a favorite among the staff. Patrick Klepek tried it years ago, and I remember him enjoying the overall concepts but not gushing over the series as a whole.

Sekiro and Slay the Spire for sure.

Seeing as it isn't on this list yet, I'm going to say Void Bastards.

I really enjoyed Ace Combat 7, and even in a weaker year it would probably get the 'Resident Evil 7 award for best game to come out in January that everyone forgot' award, but I'm not even sure if it would make my top 10 this year. I agree about the soundtrack but also it's best music has a slow buildup to an epic climax that doesn't play well in their format(Daredevil/Archange) so I wouldn't hold my breath.

As for Void Bastards, within the last few weeks there were folks raving about it on the beastcast so I think it'll be a hotly debated game.

Final Fantasy XIV Shadowbringers is one of the best games this year and the best thing to happen to Final Fantasy in a decade and at most someone will mention that they heard it did really well.

Heaven's Vault, I think only Alex touched it and I don't think he finished it. Really creative gameplay with a great story.

@efesell: sounds about right. I almost want to say that's at least some form of acknowledgement but I'd be lying.

I already predict Tetris, Destiny(:___) and Call of Duty(____:___) being top five(mostly joking).

At least Outer Worlds/Wilds will find themselves in the top ten.

The idea of Destiny or COD being in the 10 best games this year is insane to me. But oh man that is exactly what's gonna happen.

Disco Elysium but CRPGs never actually get any play on GB so I'm not cut up there. I hope Hypnospace Outlaw doesn't get totally lost because it's easy to see that game as a goof (because its hilarious) but it actually has really good world building and is a much deeper experience than it appears. It'll get a look in at the style category for sure though.

@mikemcn: COD will need someone besides Jeff to go to bat for it. Maybe that will be Dan, I dunno. I can't see Destiny being in the top 10. Even Brad doesn't seem over the moon for it.

I just hope Blazing Chrome and Valfaris get some love, because Contra is alive and well as long as it's not named Contra.

Wargroove.

Came out early in the year and man it's been a really busy year. Just seems like it's been years since it was released.

I'm 100% certain Trails of Cold Steel 3 won't get even a passing mention. Even among the few on staff who might play a JRPG I know that one has no chance.

It will make my list though.

@finaldasa: Wargroove as of right now is my favorite indie of 2019, but yeah it may not get many mentions by the GB folks. Maybe its gets some love in Best Multiplayer since the set up is super cool where someone can take their turn and whenever the next person is ready in 5 hours or the next day, they can perform that turn and wait. It was the game that encouraged Brad to consider getting Switch Online for...and then Tetris 99 happened and that became his reason to have Switch Online.

As a fan of 2017’s objectively best game Dujanah, (Featuring the year's best music and best moment or sequence (the revenge fantasy set to 'Thank Fuck You Stood on my Heart',)) I will enjoy watching Disco Elysium get no credit or acknowledgement at all.

@hermes: Rorie played some of this on UPF and sadly I think that is far as they’ll go with this game. I agree with you that this game is better than the sum of its parts.

I think it's telling that Dicey Dungeons hasn't been mentioned. Even in this thread about overlooked games it's still overlooked. That game did the roguelike card game thing so well and with so much variety. Plus the writing, music and graphics are all top notch.

I was gonna say neither Sekiro nor DMC5 will get their deserved play, but this is a pretty weak year overall so they might have that Bayonetta 2 shot. Like what are their primary options for big old GOTYs? Control, COD, Resident Evil 2, Outer Worlds, Outer Wilds, Apex Legends, Link's Awakening? Baba is you? Bloodstained? Was Tetris Royale this year? Maybe Death Stranding and that one Star Wars game? I don't think my faves will beat out many of those in terms of the crew's tastes but there are still some spots left that wouldn't be here in years as stacked as 2017 and 2018.

Also Ninja Saviors: The Warriors Return will be mentioned for best music since Daddy Mulk is in that game. Also the rest of the music is super sick too.

( Apex Legends takes it. It's a polished shooter that they all played for at least a while that came out as a surprise. I think that's one they can most agree on, even if several staffers only played for like a week. )

Heavy B only because they probably won't have Business Dave in the discussions and that's a damn shame.

Fire Emblem because it's Japanese

@zeik: By get a mention, you mean none of them even know it exists.

@silversaint: Ian mentioned it in the Extra Life stream yesterday, so that's the one and only time anyone will talk about it in a video on this website.

Probably Pokemon. Although I have a feeling Apex won't place as high as it should despite some staff enjoying it.

@silversaint: Correct.

Sekiro will probably get pushed aside. I don't see anyone fighting for it unless Jason got back into it. Not that I'd be said if it didn't get its due. It's missing a certain spark.

I forgot Tetris 99 came our this year. Wow.

@shindig said:

I don't know if he beat it, but Ben got pretty far in Sekiro. I'd expect him to bring it up. Outer Wilds will pretty much just have Vinny fighting for it unless some others get through it (Abby has mentioned she's playing it), but if they're rushing through it for GOTY discussions, I can't imagine it making a great impression.

Probably Fire Emblem Three Houses since I cant see any of the staff championing it beyond 10th or 9th place if that.

Most dark horses this year are in non-GB genres (Disco Elysium, Total War) so I won't be miffed if they don't get mentioned.

What *will* irritate me is if Mario Maker 2 is on the top 10. That game's removed features and broken online play are embarassing, but Mario love might let it slide anyway. I'm mildly disgruntled just thinking about it.

I'm feeling it. Someone's going to mention "Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy!", another staffer will cough, then no one will ever bring it up again. It was a port of a Wii game with added features, sure, but surprisingly fun for one of those stop-and-go dungeon crawlers.

Real answer? SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech. We had a Quicklook but I'm almost certain it will be entirely forgotten despite its rather charming gameplay.

After listening to the Beastcast this week its definitely going to be Disco Elysium. Six Ages is also really overlooked.

Sekiro for sure

Outer Worlds, Control, Apex Legends and Resident Evil 2 are locks For Top 10.