HF Game of the Year 2017 - Breath of the Wild wins!

[Oscar Acosta]

keep failing to understand the difference between favourites and achievements .

 

[Shareefruck]

I think the subjective charm of simply getting something right and feeling like an inspired labour of love is a lot more valuable than objectively quantifiable technical achievement devoid of imperfections, personally. Feel the same way about films and music. And don't feel that athletes or hardware are comparable at all, because those have unambiguous purposes whose success can be technically measured. You can break down a videogame and say that the technology is advanced, graphics are life-like, or mechanics are gamechanging, but it is debateable what degree each of those things matter when discussing how "good" a game actually is and which aspects of the experience actually matters. Just like how you can reasonably find the importance of continuity or realism overstated in a film and deviate from consensus opinion that way.

I suppose you can argue that there is no possible combination of metrics/weighting that would result in Breath of the Wild being considered the most successful, but unless it's a straight up awful game with few redeeming qualities, it's a bit much to think that you can determine something like that yourself.

My pick would have been Cuphead, personally, but my appreciation of video games is very different from someone who loves keeping up with them.

 

[KingBran]

The 'Nintendo lacks games' argument doesn't hold a thimble of water this year, fwiw. Usually I'll lead that fight, but credit where it's due: Nintendo had a pretty fantastic 2017. Now the onus is on them to follow this up without having long-developed Zelda or Mario games in their back pockets.

I'll definitely buy the split vote argument, though, from one console people. Zelda coming out so much earlier than Mario also helped its case in something like this.

Well Nintendo does lack original games. The Switch especially. I mean its so brand new. They have some great new IP's and now they are getting some third-party remakes like DOOM, Skyrim, Rocket League and recently announced Dark Souls. Its going to be years again before we get another Mario or Zelda. Prepare for another drought in Nintendo games. They need some real third party support (with NEW games) if they want the Switch to last really long. These current games will keep it relevant for a while though.

As someone who has both Zelda and Horizon, I disagree. Horizon simply isn't in Zelda's class.

Maybe Zelda won because it's the best game of the past half-decade at least?

I actually loved both games. I liked Horizon because of its originality. I keep trying to picture if BOTW wasn't a Zelda game but some other random hero and a completely different cast of characters but gameplay and everything else identical... I don't think it would be as well received. Heck I could even see it being called a poor mans Horizon. But because its Zelda its fresh and amazing. There is nothing wrong with that but technically its not an impressive game really. Its impressive because its open-world like that AND its Nintendo and Zelda.

 

[Commander Clueless]

I'm not saying subjective taste, I'm saying nobody in their right mind could honestly think Zelda was the best video game of the year if they played the others.

Just like by my taste, Back to the Future is my favourite movie of all time. But does it deserve the 1986 Academy Award for best picture over Platoon? Probably not. I might think All Eyez on Me is the greatest rap album of all time but the Grammy voters went with the Fugees in 1997. They were probably wrong though, my point remains. Your favourite isn't always the best. Eric Lindros was my favourite hockey player from 1992-2003, he only won one Hart Trophy.

People voting that Zelda was the best video game of 2017 either didn't play the others, or are blindly voting because it held no candle in video game technology or advancement over the other nominees.

I think your analogy might actually work against your point since Zelda not only won the vote here, but it also won many other awards including the most prestigious one that I know of in the Game Awards.

Achievement and advancing technology is only one criterion of many to judge a game by. Also, I don't think Horizon fares any better in this category.

Mmmkay if I was going to make a list for 2010 to vote on how does this look?

Anything egregious that's missing?

Alan Wake

Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Call of Duty: Black Ops

Fallout: New Vegas

God Of War III

Heavy Rain

Mass Effect 2

Red Dead Redemption

Sid Meier's Civilization V

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

Super Mario Galaxy 2

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

I'd guess it's pretty well gonna come down to FNV vs RDR vs ME2 voting wise.

Dang, 2010 was a great year....but I'd have to give it to Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight.

 

[KingBran]

Mmmkay if I was going to make a list for 2010 to vote on how does this look?

Anything egregious that's missing?

Alan Wake

Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Call of Duty: Black Ops

Fallout: New Vegas

God Of War III

Heavy Rain

Mass Effect 2

Red Dead Redemption

Sid Meier's Civilization V

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

Super Mario Galaxy 2

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

I'd guess it's pretty well gonna come down to FNV vs RDR vs ME2 voting wise.

Dang, 2010 was a great year....but I'd have to give it to Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight.

I would have to say Battlfield: Bad Company 2. I have well over 100 hours into that multiplayer. But I would give an honorable mention to a game I feel is VERY underrated... Singularity. I really wish that game would get a sequel or remaster.

 

[Commander Clueless]

I would have to say Battlfield: Bad Company 2. I have well over 100 hours into that multiplayer. But I would give an honorable mention to a game I feel is VERY underrated... Singularity. I really wish that game would get a sequel or remaster.

BC2 was amazing. I have fond memories of playing a medic and winning many MVPs in matches where I never once fired a single shot. I'm pretty sure the movie Hacksaw Ridge was based on me playing Battlefield.

I'd have to give it to Mass Effect 2, though.

Another honourable mention to Black Ops. I played a crap tonne of that game.

 

[KingBran]

BC2 was amazing. I have fond memories of playing a medic and winning many MVPs in matches where I never once fired a single shot. I'm pretty sure the movie Hacksaw Ridge was based on me playing Battlefield.

I'd have to give it to Mass Effect 2, though.

Another honourable mention to Black Ops. I played a crap tonne of that game.

So many memories of Bad Company and Bad Company 2. Do you remember the NS2000 shotgun? I swear on everything I own that I invented sniping with it . People would rage so hard but then friend request and I would teach them. If you put in the slugs ammo the HUD went from a BIG circle where you couldn't kill anyone unless they were 2 feet in front of you to actual crosshairs and you could basically snipe with it.



ME2 made me mad. I couldn't get past how technology went backwards (where you had to reload... in ME your guns just overheated). I also enjoyed the story and music much more in ME. ME2 absolutely had better gameplay overall though. Much more polished.

I think the last COD game I played and really enjoyed was World at War. I just couldn't get into any ones after that.

 

[HanSolo]

I'm not saying subjective taste, I'm saying nobody in their right mind could honestly think Zelda was the best video game of the year if they played the others.

Just like by my taste, Back to the Future is my favourite movie of all time. But does it deserve the 1986 Academy Award for best picture over Platoon? Probably not. I might think All Eyez on Me is the greatest rap album of all time but the Grammy voters went with the Fugees in 1997. They were probably wrong though, my point remains. Your favourite isn't always the best. Eric Lindros was my favourite hockey player from 1992-2003, he only won one Hart Trophy.

People voting that Zelda was the best video game of 2017 either didn't play the others, or are blindly voting because it held no candle in video game technology or advancement over the other nominees.

Boy there sure are a bunch of nutty people out there.

This sounds like someone who only played Zelda.

If you look up and squint real hard you can just see the point flying over your head.

 

[syz]

Breath of the Wild is kinda a bad Zelda game and I've been pretty constantly surprised at seeing so many "best game of all time" reactions.

It's maybe the best video game world ever with a not so great video game attached to it. Hopefully the next one is an open world that actually has fun stuff to do in it.

 

[Shareefruck]

^ I do cringe a bit whenever I hear someone say that it's usurped A Link to the Past as their favorite.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Breath of the Wild is kinda a bad Zelda game and I've been pretty constantly surprised at seeing so many "best game of all time" reactions.

It's maybe the best video game world ever with a not so great video game attached to it. Hopefully the next one is an open world that actually has fun stuff to do in it.

What is "fun stuff" to you? I had fun searching exploring and searching for shrines, not just to get orbs and make Link stronger, but moreso to complete the puzzles within.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

This sounds like someone who only played Zelda.

I have a PS4 and the game that got 2nd in this poll...

 

[syz]

What is "fun stuff" to you? I had fun searching exploring and searching for shrines, not just to get orbs and make Link stronger, but moreso to complete the puzzles within.

Exploring the world is fun but I thought actually engaging mechanically with anything I found ranged from "awful" to "fine". The combat's middling and so uninteresting that I started actively avoiding fighting stuff unless I had to. The few dungeons/boss fights the game has are definitely the worst a Zelda game has ever had. Some of the shrines are fine, some of them are real bad, most of them are generally forgettable. Throw in two all-time worst video game mechanics in item durability and inventory management on top of all that and it's just like... y'all are high.

 

[Pilky01]

^ I do cringe a bit whenever I hear someone say that it's usurped A Link to the Past as their favorite.

Link to the Past is probably my third or fourth favourite Zelda but I didn't actually play it until like 2005, so I don't have the same nostalgia for it that others might.

 

[Shareefruck]

Link to the Past is probably my third or fourth favourite Zelda but I didn't actually play it until like 2005, so I don't have the same nostalgia for it that others might.

I actually fundamentally hate the idea of nostalgia, the fact that it influences people, the fact that it elevates things that don't deserve it, and the fact that it automatically creates doubt about people's opinions. I usually end up hating and being unfairly hard on things that I grew up loving instead (partly out of embarassment, I guess?). It just isn't an idea that I have an appreciation for.

I do love when you discover greatness in something that you grew up only superficially enjoying or taking for granted, though. I was never a Link to the Past fan as a kid. In hindsight, I think it's brilliant, and none of the sequels have felt nearly as charming and on point to me.

I had a similar reaction as an adult to Super Mario World. Because it was the first game that came with the system, as a kid I was always under the impression that it was bland and basic, and that flashier games that came later were superior. But playing it again, it blew me away that I never realized it was such a tight and perfectly conceived/crafted game.

 

[SniperHF]

Dang, 2010 was a great year....but I'd have to give it to Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight.

2010 was a big AAA title year. Maybe even around what you'd call the peak for that type of game. 10-13 or so.

Things have somewhat splintered since though obviously the AAA games are still the big headliners. If you look at the list of best selling games there are quite a few in that range. But only a handful in '14+.
Time helps the older games numbers but usually not that much outside of extremely long running games like WOW or Diablo II or Minecraft or whatever. Or pack-ins on Nintendo systems.

BTW any mention of C&C 4, though I don't even really like 3 either, is grounds for banning

 

[SpookyTsuki]

I actually fundamentally hate the idea of nostalgia, the fact that it influences people, the fact that it elevates things that don't deserve it, and the fact that it automatically creates doubt about people's opinions. I usually end up hating and being unfairly hard on things that I grew up loving instead (partly out of embarassment, I guess?). It just isn't an idea that I have an appreciation for.

I do love when you discover greatness in something that you grew up only superficially enjoying or taking for granted, though. I was never a Link to the Past fan as a kid. In hindsight, I think it's brilliant, and none of the sequels have felt nearly as charming and on point to me.

I had a similar reaction as an adult to Super Mario World. Because it was the first game that came with the system, as a kid I was always under the impression that it was bland and basic, and that flashier games that came later were superior. But playing it again, it blew me away that I never realized it was such a tight and perfectly conceived/crafted game.

Nostalgia affects game the least out of like anything though. The memories might affect it but I mean. You can still play it and see how it is. Super mario bros 3? Still holds up. Goldeneye? Many people love it but if people played it now I doubt that many people enjoy it (unless they play with friends). Controls are wonky

 

[Emperoreddy]

I'm not saying subjective taste, I'm saying nobody in their right mind could honestly think Zelda was the best video game of the year if they played the others.

Just like by my taste, Back to the Future is my favourite movie of all time. But does it deserve the 1986 Academy Award for best picture over Platoon? Probably not. I might think All Eyez on Me is the greatest rap album of all time but the Grammy voters went with the Fugees in 1997. They were probably wrong though, my point remains. Your favourite isn't always the best. Eric Lindros was my favourite hockey player from 1992-2003, he only won one Hart Trophy.

People voting that Zelda was the best video game of 2017 either didn't play the others, or are blindly voting because it held no candle in video game technology or advancement over the other nominees.

I played a good chunk of this list and Zelda was definitely my GotY.

It absolutely “advanced” things as well. Every developer of an open world game should have been taking lots of notes after BoTW came out.

Mario, Horizon, Hollow Knight, Persona 5, Nier. In past years one of these would have been my top game of the year easily, but this year was too stacked.

 

[HanSolo]

Nostalgia affects game the least out of like anything though. The memories might affect it but I mean. You can still play it and see how it is. Super mario bros 3? Still holds up. Goldeneye? Many people love it but if people played it now I doubt that many people enjoy it (unless they play with friends). Controls are wonky

Goldeneye got its reputation because it was really groundbreaking for gaming. Even without the bad controls, it's not a particularly good game. Its sacred status came because it allowed friends to get together for real PVPFPS play. It paved the way for Halo to break new ground and make the FPS genre the powerhouse it is today. At least in console gaming.

If I thought back to the best N64 games, I don't think Goldeneye even cracks my top 15.

 

[Commander Clueless]

Goldeneye got its reputation because it was really groundbreaking for gaming. Even without the bad controls, it's not a particularly good game. Its sacred status came because it allowed friends to get together for real PVPFPS play. It paved the way for Halo to break new ground and make the FPS genre the powerhouse it is today. At least in console gaming.

If I thought back to the best N64 games, I don't think Goldeneye even cracks my top 15.

Yeah, it was fun at the time but not one of the greats IMO.

The only possible N64 "best of" list is as follows:

1) Super Smash Bros
2) Mario Kart 64
3) Ocarina of Time


4) DK64




5) Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards


Also, unrelated fun fact: the only games I had for N64.

 

[aleshemsky83]

Maybe not allowed on here, but if you dump your own game its perfectly legal:

Cemu emulator is now running Breath of Wild as good if not better than the Switch. If you've got a good intel CPU (and it is not going to run well on otherwise so make sure you have that), it should be just as good an experience on switch or wii u. Its not plug and play since theres stuttering problems any time a new animation/effect/texture etc. shows up on screen, but with tweaking, you should have a very good experience for those not ready to buy a switch buy have a decent pc.

EDIT:I should make a correction to that "as good" statement. Thats not true. The video files are reportedly very buggy and play a green screen with decently clear audio, other than that it runs fine.

 

[HanSolo]

Yeah, it was fun at the time but not one of the greats IMO.

The only possible N64 "best of" list is as follows:

1) Super Smash Bros
2) Mario Kart 64
3) Ocarina of Time


4) DK64




5) Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards


Also, unrelated fun fact: the only games I had for N64.

Very critical snub of Mario 64,

IMO it goes

Super Mario 64
Smash Bros
Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask
DK Country
Mario Kart
Star Fox 64
Star Wars Rogue Squadron
Paper Mario
Banjo Kazooie
Pokemon Stadium
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2
Mario Tennis
Kirby 64
Conker's Bad Fur Day
F-Zero X
Perfect Dark
Goldeneye

 

[Commander Clueless]

Very critical snub of Mario 64,

IMO it goes

Super Mario 64
Smash Bros
Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask
DK Country
Mario Kart
Star Fox 64
Star Wars Rogue Squadron
Paper Mario
Banjo Kazooie
Pokemon Stadium
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2
Mario Tennis
Kirby 64
Conker's Bad Fur Day
F-Zero X
Perfect Dark
Goldeneye

The joke there was I only owned those 5 games I listed.

 

[HanSolo]

The joke there was I only owned those 5 games I listed.

I missed that part.

Yeah I missed the PS2/OG Xbox gen so I only had N64/Gamecube and PC games (I played GTA Vice City for the PC more than anything)

 

[Commander Clueless]

I missed that part.

Yeah I missed the PS2/OG Xbox gen so I only had N64/Gamecube and PC games (I played GTA Vice City for the PC more than anything)

That was true for me as well.

I didn't have a ton of spare money, and my game time was often eaten up by Command & Conquer or Warcraft, with a bit of NHL thrown in there as well. The N64 served mostly as a party game machine, and boy did it excel at that.

I tried to reproduce that feeling with the Wii U a couple years back, but it just wasn't the same. Also, it imploded.