Game of the Year 2014: Round 1, Bracket 1/4

[This Old Neon]

Welcome to the "BEST GAME EVER!!!" Project's second Side-Event: the 2014 Game of the Year!

You can vote for 2 games in this bracket. Vote carefully—you can't change your vote after submitting it. The top 4 games at the end of the week will advance to the next round.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U - Wii U
Destiny - PS4
Ultra Street Fighter IV - Multiplatform
Pokémon [Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby] - 3DS
Hyrule Warriors - Wii U
DeadCore - PC
LISA: The Painful RPG - PC

You are encouraged to discuss your choices and your reasons for selecting the game you did.

[The Shoemaker]

Hyrule Warriors was a surprise hit with me, I really enjoyed the gameplay. It's a game I can see myself playing a lot on the go so I may consider the 3DS port.

[evildevil97]

I voted for Hyrule Warriors. Such an unexpectedly awesome game. I'm not even a Zelda fan, and I could see the love poured in it. I also voted for Smash, because it's great.

[Kong Wen]

A single vote for Destiny from me, which was the actual Game of the Year in 2014.

[SkyPikachu]

A single vote for Destiny from me, which was the actual Game of the Year in 2014.

There isn't really a game of the year is there? So many different sites have different winners.

[The Shoemaker]

In regards to Pokemon Omega Ruby, I did enjoy it. A lot more than X and Y actually, the new additions were fantastic, but the game overall is still held down by annoying quality of life grievances. It was a good experience, not game of the year.

[squishy]

I went for Smash Wii U although Hyrule Warriors was a close second. I don't understand the love for Destiny. Can someone please explain? I played it at my brother in law's and felt it was very boring and offered nothing new. I know he traded it away shortly after as well because he felt it wasn't worth what he paid for it.

[Kong Wen]

I went for Smash Wii U although Hyrule Warriors was a close second. I don't understand the love for Destiny. Can someone please explain? I played it at my brother in law's and felt it was very boring and offered nothing new. I know he traded it away shortly after as well because he felt it wasn't worth what he paid for it.

I've explained in a lot of depth in other threads. It sounds like your brother in law didn't get enough entertainmentpleasures out of it, while other people get a lot of them. Enjoyment of a game is largely subjective, after all—the exact same sentiment could be levied at the games you mentioned, perhaps even moreso since they're sequels (Smash Bros. and Dynasty Warriors). But you find them fun!

The main thing the game offers is absolutely perfect gunplay mechanics. The great variety of guns handle really well, aim well, and control well. It also offers a surprisingly good balance between the nine subclasses' abilities and the various archetypes of weapons. Certainly no other FPS I've ever played has just felt so satisfying and fun to play.

On top of the mechanics, the story isn't much, but the world is thoughtfully designed and engaging. It's an interesting post-apocalpytic mix of sci-fi and fantasy, and they manage to convey different aspects of humanity's fall through the different enemy races (the Fallen are a race of abandoned scavengers who we pity as much as we detest, the Hive are terrifying embodiments of hatred and conquest, the Vex represent cold unrelenting technology, etc.).

There are a lot of different activities that all have something different to offer for people who prefer different game modes. There are a variety of player-vs-player modes with varying degrees of competitiveness, and they each depend on teamwork to varying degrees (from the solo Rumble game to the intensely team-based Trials of Osiris, Elimination, Skirmish, and Salvages games, to the chaotic loosely-team-based free-for-alls that Control and Clash usually end up being). There are also the various player-vs-game modes such as different levels of Strikes (normal, Heroic, and Nightfall), a large variety of story missions, and the endgame activities like the Raids.

Basically this all means there's a lot to play. Some people will find more enjoyment in some modes, while others will prefer different modes. People who really only care about one mode, though... I wonder if they've chosen the wrong game? I get a kick out of people who don't spend much time in this game who complain about certain game modes or about the game not being fun... maybe they've simply found the wrong game? I don't try to play a 3D Zelda and then complain about the boring exploring. I suck it up and realize the game isn't for me.

Anyway, the icing on the cake is the team play. It really makes this game shine. If you find a group of people you get along with and have fun playing with, it makes the game super fun. I'm lucky enough to have a group of people largely composed of friends I know in real life, and we have similar schedules and can get on at the same time, which means we always have people to play with, we usually have people who are available if we need help with a tough activity, and we have people to joke around with and bond with over some gentle smacktalk while we're having trouble with a tough boss or trying to beat a challenge or get a piece of rare loot.

It's just enough MMO without being too much, just enough FPS without being too little, and has just enough of an RPG paint job to keep things from simply being a "shoot the dudes" game. Some people won't like that mix.

[squishy]

To each their own I guess. I have no problem with a sequel if its good. I also have no problem with games that mix it up, so long as they are good but I just found Destiny took ideas from other games but failed to actually mesh them in an enjoyable way

[Kong Wen]

To each their own I guess. I have no problem with a sequel if its good. I also have no problem with games that mix it up, so long as they are good but I just found Destiny took ideas from other games but failed to actually mesh them in an enjoyable way

It's almost as if different people enjoy different things.