Top 128: 15/16 - Bracket Fortress

[Kong Wen]

Okay I think I want to weigh in on why I have yet to support Brothers in the BGE. I did genuinely love the game and agree that it should be played by anyone who hasn't done so yet. Thanks, Spore, for encouraging me to give it a chance. It's well done and moving as others have noted. My main issue with it is that, for whatever reason, the replayability factor for it is null for me. After you've seen it and done everything, there's no compelling reason for me to come back. Its entertainment value got completely cashed. Part of that may be due to its being a puzzle kind of game. I generally don't like those much with few exceptions. But once you know how to overcome the obstacles, there's not much fun left in doing it again unless you give yourself time to forget enough.

The quality of Brothers that sets it apart as a contender for the title of "BEST GAME EVER!!!" is not that it's emotionally moving, but that it is one of the scant few video games that successfully leverages the defining feature of the medium (gameplay, interactivity) to deliver that emotional experience.

The gameplay is the art, rather than simply an interface with it.

Brothers is better at being a video game than many others for this reason. The fact that it actually has good controls, good puzzles, a good story, etc. is icing on the cake.

[SkyPikachu]

Why the hell is Splatoon here?!?

It's a good fun game that's unique and innotive. 18th is probably too high but it's a top 128 game for sure.

There's a whole bunch of games (mainly ranked between 40th and 49th) that aren't nearly as good as Splatoon that you should be complaining about more than Splatoon.

[Kong Wen]

It's a good fun game that's unique and innotive. 18th is probably too high but it's a top 128 game for sure.

I bet it's not a top-750 for Ouen, which is why he's reacting with incredulity. I wasn't surprised to see it get a few nominations, but I'm pretty shocked to see it getting more than 1-2 votes in this bracket.

There's a whole bunch of games (mainly ranked between 40th and 49th) that aren't nearly as good as Splatoon that you should be complaining about more than Splatoon.

The ones you mentioned in the other thread?

Gears of War - way better than Splatoon
Crimzon Clover: World Ignition - I don't know what this is
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - slightly better than Splatoon
Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup - better than Splatoon
Sleeping Dogs - better than Splatoon
Path of Exile - Splatoon might stand up against this, maybe
Final Fantasy VII - I don't need to mention how much better than Splatoon this is
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons - better than anything the Splatoon developers have ever dreamed of
The Last of Us - significantly better than Splatoon
Wario Land II - better than Splatoon

[Pluvius]

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - slightly better than Splatoon

Ouch.

Rob

[The Shoemaker]

I'm happy to see Splatoon recieved so many votes. I thought it would make it a little farther in the polls, but it's tough when a new game is up against Team Fortress 2, Super Metroid and Pac-Man.

Have you played Splatoon Kong? I can understand the game being snuffed for having a medium amount of content and unnecessary online restrictions, but the core game is so inventive and fun, and each mode is very different from each other. Makes for a really awesome experience. If I had to pick 10 games to play for the rest of my life Splatoon would be one of them. It's not in my top 10 greatest games list, but it's one of my top 10 most replayable games.

[SkyPikachu]

Kong you seem to underrate Splatoon. I also didn't say all the games ranked between 40-49 were better.

[Kong Wen]

Kong you seem to underrate Splatoon. I also didn't say all the games ranked between 40-49 were better.

I think there's a handful of people who overrate Splatoon. And don't worry, I know, you said "a whole bunch"—but I see 1-2 arguably.

I thought it would make it a little farther in the polls, but it's tough when a new game is up against Team Fortress 2, Super Metroid and Pac-Man.

And when it's only available on one niche system.

Have you played Splatoon Kong?

Yeah. I don't have it, myself, obviously, but I played it at my bro's house. He was as excited about getting a shooting game for the Wii as he was back when The Conduit was coming out. I think the appeal has worn off now. I found the controls unforgivable, and the "shootan for kids" / "games don't have to be violent to be fun" marketing slant disingenuous rather than innovative.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's an awful game at a core level. I just don't think it's a great shooter, nor even a good one. It's a competent low-tier game that does what it does well enough, but is riddled with weaknesses in a crowded field. This is why it should brick-wall against Team Fortress 2. This kind of game belongs in the 300-400 range, not Top 128. It did so well in this BGE not in spite of the fact that it's new, but because it's new and there are a lot of people playing it at the same time, leading to vote consolidation.

[Sharecrow]

Okay I think I want to weigh in on why I have yet to support Brothers in the BGE. I did genuinely love the game and agree that it should be played by anyone who hasn't done so yet. Thanks, Spore, for encouraging me to give it a chance. It's well done and moving as others have noted. My main issue with it is that, for whatever reason, the replayability factor for it is null for me. After you've seen it and done everything, there's no compelling reason for me to come back. Its entertainment value got completely cashed. Part of that may be due to its being a puzzle kind of game. I generally don't like those much with few exceptions. But once you know how to overcome the obstacles, there's not much fun left in doing it again unless you give yourself time to forget enough.

The quality of Brothers that sets it apart as a contender for the title of "BEST GAME EVER!!!" is not that it's emotionally moving, but that it is one of the scant few video games that successfully leverages the defining feature of the medium (gameplay, interactivity) to deliver that emotional experience.

The gameplay is the art, rather than simply an interface with it.

Brothers is better at being a video game than many others for this reason. The fact that it actually has good controls, good puzzles, a good story, etc. is icing on the cake.

I liked its story. And presentation was lovely. Gameplay, too, as you say, but that was less important to me. But, has anyone here enjoyed the game enough to play it again? Or is the once-is-enough thing a Sharecrow anomaly in this case? I get that that, by itself, should not matter for BGE nomination or voting but I do think it can be telling in a way...

[Kong Wen]

I liked its story. And presentation was lovely. Gameplay, too, as you say, but that was less important to me. But, has anyone here enjoyed the game enough to play it again? Or is the once-is-enough thing a Sharecrow anomaly in this case? I get that that, by itself, should not matter for BGE nomination or voting but I do think it can be telling in a way...

The once-is-enough thing as a measure of the game's quality might be a Sharecrow anomaly. I haven't felt the urge to play it again after I beat it, but I don't see replayability as having a negative impact on this particular game's BGE status, especially since its BGE status is predicated specifically on its innovative execution in one area.

[Sharecrow]

I liked its story. And presentation was lovely. Gameplay, too, as you say, but that was less important to me. But, has anyone here enjoyed the game enough to play it again? Or is the once-is-enough thing a Sharecrow anomaly in this case? I get that that, by itself, should not matter for BGE nomination or voting but I do think it can be telling in a way...

The once-is-enough thing as a measure of the game's quality might be a Sharecrow anomaly. I haven't felt the urge to play it again after I beat it, but I don't see replayability as having a negative impact on this particular game's BGE status, especially since its BGE status is predicated specifically on its innovative execution in one area.

Yeah. It's one of a kind in that area.

I don't think I'll ever play Fatal Frame again, though for different reasons. But that absolutely doesn't diminish my loving the game and considering it among the best I've played. So I hear ya