Cblogs of 12/06/15 + Award Season

It is now December, the dead month for releases. You do have Rainbow Six Seige and Just Cause 3 at the start of the month, but from here on out it is seems to strike me as a month of indie games through Christmas and leading up to New Years Day. 

So, naturally, there has been murmurs about Game of the Year. I even hear people talking to each other at the company I work out of primarily about what could be Game of the Year for the website; most likely leading to each writer submitting three games they like and their own paragraph opinion for each that may be chopped up and chopped down to size. No one yet has drawn the shortest straw of who is going to manage that mess. 

I've been listing within my head the obvious games that I think qualify as some of the best (or worst) of the year with delightful glee, as I've been pondering on doing my second year of my GotY list at some point this month or early next year (within the first two weeks of the year). During which I still have not arrived at what I think is an important qualifying point: Should I go for technical best or should I use my own emotional judgement that can reach beyond technical aspects (e.g. how hard a game flew under the radar)? 

Deciding to base it on feelings on an awards ceremony level is likely a bad bad thing, but even on a website level allocating some room for non-technical things to a Game of the Year award isn't just allowed but is encouraged. After all, journalists are people too.

During my mulling over of my list, there is one particular game that has shuffled around my head. Without revealing the game, it was one I reviewed during the first quarter or two of the year to a score north of a 7. It wasn't the best game ever made by any stretch, suffering from length and difficulty issues. However, it was different in a delightful sense. It put to shame a AAA series thought revolutionary for its dabble within the genre it did, and yet was made by a one-person developer. 

So, while it wasn't the best, I do wonder how high up within my Game of the Year list it should be. If to put it at the top, hoping the review count on Steam (my only means of measuring how many people have it) reaches over 200, or perhaps further down to reflect that while it was great it may not have been the best. Although fortunately I know it'll be on my list and I'll be sure to reveal the title when the time comes. 

Anyway, I hope people have started to assemble their list of the games that mean the most to them this year. After all it has been a wondrous year, with indie and AAA games offering delightful and sizeable portions catering to even the most particular of tastes. Even the disappointing titles, which there have been a few, have still had good sides and a fair few of them have been still technically good at least.

Anyway, if you want me, I think I'm going to scratch my [REDACTED] itch for a bit. Although first... Sunday Recaps of the Week!

* - A careful exploration of the film that is E.T. XXX for us gaming connoisseurs to delight ourselves with, like snorting rare caviar off a hooker's arse.

S – Got an ego that needs a good firm stroke? Dreamweaver is on the case, as long you posted a funny comment, in this week's Comments of the Week.

Since there is never any contests to report, I figured I'd use this section to just post a song I've been listening to a lot a particular week. Maybe expose some obscure music to new found audiences. 

This week I've been mostly listening to: Lioness by Viking Moses (a cover of Jason Molina), although pretty much all covers and the original of Lioness has been heavily played. 

I think no matter what, we can agree that whatever wins Game of the Year award anywhere will be automatically wrong or correct depending on if it aligns with our own. After all, how else are you meant to measure if it is right?

P – Jiraya does a first-impressions article about Rodea the Sky Soldier, one that does have heart and care but meanwhile contains a few struggles. I really dig the Recommendation Spot going on (and may “borrow” the idea later), just could have done with proof-reading, a bit less “what” and more “personal liquid stream of thoughts” (I may have to explain this further in the comments) and consideration there is a difference between a preview and early-impressions piece (perhaps may be the journalist in me twitching though). Still, if you're looking for thoughts about Rodea the Sky Soldier either to buy or mull over, Jiraya's preview piece is worth reading.

It is interesting how each year we gather around to praise our favourite game of a particular year. Especially how it reminds ourselves what got us into the hobby in the first place and that no matter the doom and gloom surrounding the game industry there are still excellent things occurring. We criticise because we love, not because we love to criticise. 

Okay, one hint of the game in question. Only because you people mean a lot to me and the game really is obscure.

- Riobux

LPotD

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