Polygon's 2013 Game of the Year

"That's what makes Gone Home so powerful. It's not unusual, it's ordinary. That may sound strange, but in an industry dominated by sci-fi and fantasy tropes, violence and an obsession with heroism, it wasn't a floating city in the sky that took our breath away but rather a trip back home, and the exploration of a single house, seen through the eyes of a stranger."

[JMPetrequin]

I've lost a lot of respect for Polygon in the last year and can't say I'm very frond of them anymore, but I still enjoyed their game of the year debates on the podcast.

[AntsPai]

They're just as bad as Kotaku, this is an absolute joke for GOTY.

[JMPetrequin]

I wouldn't say complete joke. Gone Home is excellent as an experience, but like The Walking Dead last year, it has a great story with almost nothing in gameplay. It may be a great story, but the game of the year should be something that mixes story with exceptional gameplay, like The Last of Us or the new Zelda.

[gamer7804]

there were many reviewers to had this on their goty nominee list. Its just their opinion.

[dedicatedtogamers]

It wasn't even a game, that's the thing.

What's hilarious is how there's this semi-popular angst against games like Uncharted or Beyond (or similar games). People say "It's not even a game! It's nothing but an interactive cutscene".

And yet? These overpriced, non-replayable "experiences" (they're not even games) get high praise because...they're 2deep4u. I mean, let's at least be consistent here. Funny how in their review of The Last of Us (just to use an example) they mark it down for having generic mechanics and some frustrating scenes. Yet, Gone Home doesn't have a single unique puzzle in the entire game. The ONLY (yes, ONLY) catch of the game is once you find out "the twist" which isn't anything special at all and has been overdone for...oh, I'd say about the last 65 years in literature and movies.

I mean, if we're going to go this route, at least go with The Stanley Parable, which is actually replayable and is actually an interesting experience.

[SixtyNine]

Do not include Uncharted, it is very much a game. The gunplay, hand to hand combat, stealth sequences and platforming . . come on now..

[dedicatedtogamers]

@ twelvebithero

I included Uncharted because that's the argument I've heard over the years.

"O-o-okay Uncharted is good but...but it's so linear! It's full of cutscenes. It's hardly even a game".

That's my point. Games like Last of Us, Uncharted, or Beyond get marked down for being "just a bunch of cutscenes" (according to the detractors) yet a game like Gone Home gets a free pass. Why? Because...it's indie, I guess. Hipsters, I tell ya.

[ikkokucrisis]

Employees at Polygon are the same ones that started Kotaku & Joystiq. They take bribes from companies that start with the letter 'M'.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum...

Oh, and if you want to see how 'great' of a game Gone Home is, just watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

It's 1.5 hours of your life that you will never get back...

[Deltaguy]

Ploygon made my crap of the year list

[Rimeskeem]

Right behind EA

[_FantasmA_]

And Mirco$cam

[SoulSercher620]

Polygon is just as bad as Kotaku if not worse. Their bias towards most games is ridiculous.

[RoseSapphire]

Not. A. Game.

[CrossingEden]

This video is perfect for people like you
https://www.youtube.com/wat...
P.S.
Putting. A. Period. After. Every. Word. Doesn't. Make. Your. Post. Any. Less. Stupid
Plus I love this logic, gone home wins multiple game of the year awards from multiple sites but god forbid polygon feels the same way.

[Hicken]

Well, since Polygon has less than no credibility, it really doesn't matter WHAT game they choose. As others have said, they're as bad as kotaku.

In other words, even if they happen to be right once, they're still wrong, because who wants to admit that a douchebag is right?

[Mega24]

Gone Home is not a game. A real game are those that make you scream at the TV in anger cuz the guy at the other end of the internet has a better connection then you. /s...

Gone Home was like a great book, and a really strong story,I read everything I stumbled upon.

[RoseSapphire]

Gone home was an interactive novel, not a game. It had more in common with an interactive DVD menu than an adventure title. I don't consider a choose your own adventure book to be a video game and this "game" doesn't even let you choose your own adventure!

This is a book on tape.

[TheGOODKyle]

I'm not very familiar with this game, unfortunately, but what does it say about Polygon where I have no intention of ever finding out.

[joel_c17]

lol polygon

[curtis92]

Just polygon trying to be cool and different. Aren't they so hip and with it giving a 2 hour indie game GOTY? They're so cool.

[Talidan]

Gone Home was alright, but not worth full price and was not any special experience. I'd have enjoyed it a whole lot more with at least an open-to-interpretation ending, but it was so incredibly anti-climatic that the pretentiousness of the story just couldn't be brushed away.

GOTY, it is not. An enjoyable hour-long time waster, if it were priced AT LEAST below $10, that's reasonable, but $20? No way.

[SixtyNine]

I bet if they had given their game of the year to the Last of Us there'd be no problem here.. Silly folks.

[badz149]

Are you seriously comparing this non-game to TLoU? Like seriously?

That make so much sense, right? It's not like TLoU has won over 200 GotY already. /s

[Why o why]

There would be surprise. We dont need polygon to impartial anymore. They've more than proved their persistent bias. They rely on people like you to defend them. Obviously the funding they received means little to you. Luckily many of us, even some in the MS camp aren't so blinded or ignorant to the facts. Enjoy your bliss

[Hicken]

You must want to lose that bet.

[pandehz]

Polygone Home