GOTY Game Preparation

As we get closer and closer to GOTY time, What (mostly narrative) games should we be playing so we don't get spoiled by listening to the GOTY podcasts?

2020 List:

• Hades
• Half-Life: Alyx
• Last of Us: Part II
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps
• Spiritfarer
• Kentucky Route Zero: The Complete Season
• Ghost of Tsushima
• FF7 Remake
• Paper Mario: The Origami King

Some good choices below from @bisonhero on unreleased ones.

I think you got most of them already, but I think FF7 Remake could be included since it does stray from the original's storyline a bit near the end.

Also, I certainly don't think there is much to spoil, but Doom Eternal does lean into a narrative more this time around. I genuinely don't remember what that narrative is right now though.

If someone on staff does find time to play through Paradise Killer, I would say that deserves a place but I know time is fleeting and new consoles/cyberpunk/watch dogs are out right around the corner.

I'd say Doom Eternal might belong on this list. It has more narrative than the 2016 game had.

Tell Me Why, but I think only the first episode is out?

I think Wasteland 3 as well, but that's assuming anyone on the crew finished that game. And we know how unlikely that is. Lol j/k frt, amirite?

Star Wars: Squadrons apparently has a decent story.

@bladeofcreation: I doubt that the staff could spoil the Doom Eternal narrative though, because it's both way too dense and weirdly overwrought to keep straight and because a lot of it is buried in codexes that I doubt many of them read.

I did a quick skim of some major games released this year, so let me throw out a bunch of games OP can add if they would like.

Released games (not already mentioned by OP or others):

• Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise (may not ever come up in GotY because no one liked it, but there's stuff you could spoil)
• Superhot: Mind Control Delete (I don't actually know, but I know the original game had some twists and turns)
• Paper Mario: The Origami King (the story in this game is nothing, but there's a few character moments that could be considered spoilers)
• Marvel's Avengers (I guess? I assume Captain America does not stay dead and is shockingly revealed to be alive at some point in the game. Unlikely to come up at all in GotY tbh, but staff did seem to like the campaign)

Unreleased games:

• Watch Dogs: Legion (I assume this game has a story that could be spoiled in some way, tho maybe you just do a zillion Ubisoft open world game missions and the plot is nothing)
• The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope (I assume this game has a story that could be spoiled)
• Assassin's Creed Valhalla (I assume this game has a story that could be spoiled)
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon (I have no idea if anyone will have time to finish this by the time they do GotY)
• Bugsnax (there's probably some whimsical solution to the central mystery)
• Spider-Man: Miles Morales (I assume this game has a story that could be spoiled)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (I assume this game has a story that could be spoiled, the numbers Mason, etc.)
• Cyberpunk 2077 (maybe the story in this will matter, who can say, but I doubt it's going to be Witcher 3 calibre)
• Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (sounds like it will flesh out some prequel story, but also nobody on staff will finish it before GotY so you're probably safe)
• Twin Mirror (it seems unlikely staff will finish this before GotY)

That's all I saw. I think OP's list covers most of the important bases.

@bigsocrates: That's fair and I 100% agree.

Narrative game wise, I'll echo Hades and Spiritfarer. I would also add Murder by Numbers but that poor game won't get any talk for GOTY deliberations though. Maybe XCOM Chimera Squad since that might be brought up for deliberations but they probably won't go too deep on that game's story since Vinny and Alex feel like the pre-made characters and their writing for this spinoff don't have the chops to deliver a compelling story.

@mocbucket62: Murder by Numbers is a great game!

LOU2 obviously, not sure it will make the list though as no one really at GB likes it.

Ghost of Tsushima story is pretty predictable but still a hell of a lot of fun.

Hades for sure, I haven’t beaten it yet but it seems like the from runner for GOTY for the crew.

FF7 Remake, as well.

Unrealized games: Demon Souls(if you haven’t played before), Miles Morales I’m sure will have huge cliffhanger, Cyberpunk, Bugsnax, AC Valhalla all though the AC franchise has been lackluster for me lately, Watch Dogs meh, Blacks Ops Cold War Treyarch has the best COD single player campaigns to date.

(Truck reversing noise, the noise covers the clacking of the keyboard as I edit)

The true story of Hades is the friends you make along the way!

Boom, spoiled it for all you! Now you don't have to play it. Though you still should because it's fantastic!

If you have the opportunity, don't skip HL: Alyx. Narrative aside, the mechanics, gameplay and immersion are what really make this a GOTY contender. Black Mesa should also get kudos for what was pulled off by a small team over a decade.

@mightywarcanoe: @petesix0: For clarity, this thread appears to be about games with possible spoilers that people might want to play before GotY podcasts. Not the clearest thread title.

@bladeofcreation All three chapters of Tell Me Why have been released so it should be added to the list. I highly doubt they will talk about it thought because I think only Abby has played it.

Maybe also Genshin Impact? I personally haven't played it and I'm not sure if its narrative is that important, but they might spoil late game stuff.

@bisonhero: Ah. tyty.

Crash 4!

Should be an interesting year for the GotY podcasts. Feel like it will be similar to 2014 where it will be a bunch of flawed games making up the final list for the crew.

Paradise Killer is objectively the best game of 2020. It won't get any Giantbomb GOTY play though.

I am also telling you now that Disc Room will also be up around the top 10. So get in early!

I don't think you should worry about Hades. Yes, it will be talked a lot, but the twist after each successful run is revealed a few hours in, and it is known to anyone familiar with greek mythology... The fun is on the execution, but that wouldn't be spoiled unless they show a video clip.

13 Sentinels, as Jan seems into it and the narrative's a big part. Started, got a ways to go!

Just wanted to throw out, this is a pretty great idea for a thread! There's definitely past GotYs I would have listened to at the time if I had done enough of my "homework" ahead of time.

Thanks OP

@x_sammyd_x: I think Vinny and Brad were exhausted by it in the end but had very positive impressions overall. I imagine for a lot of people that felt worn out by it on the first playthrough would really enjoy a second one unburdened from the pressure of avoiding spoilers, wondering what everyone is so mad about and being baffled by exactly how long it is. I've been enjoying my second run through it on NG+ a lot and I already really liked it.

Anyway, I'll throw two esoteric hats into the ring I'd only anticipate Alex, maybe @unastrike would have anything to say about them, maybe@vinny if it came across his desk.

That game is Erica, which is very bad and dumb but about the length of a straight-to-video horror movie and thus very digestible, stars Holly Earl, was scored by Austin Wintory and was a second party production for Sony's PlayLink service, so it has a weird level of prestige behind it for how utterly goofy it turned out to be. This is the sort of game that was made purely for @alex to deliver a pithy summary of and I hope it gets its due.

The other game I'd doubt gets brought up for story but technically did have one is Wattam, which probably can't be spoiled as it mostly has to be seen to be believed but is definitely a game built on twists and surprises.