World Dueling Academy's GOTY

It's true that we had a topic dedicated to the Video Game Awards, but we should also have a small topic dedicated to awards. On a much smaller and much more personal level that is.

Just like last year's we'll keep it short and clean. The only category if GOTY, nothing more, nothing less.

Off to it, folks!

For me, I got a potential runner up in addition to my own personal pick that needs mentioning.

Kimo's GOTY: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain


It's probably worth mentioning that this has also become my favorite action game of all time.

Now before you murder me, hear me out. I know that this game had serious problems, like the lack of any bosses aside from a select few, the cut out story, the sillier plot in addition to the much lesser character depth as well as some very strange design decisions (microtransactions, waiting so long for upgrades to finish, the repeated levels, etc). I do acknowledge all these issues.

Aside from all that, however, the gameplay on its own is the most impressive I have ever seen in any action game. This is the most intricate stealth game ever, with thousands of solutions and tactics that all come down to how creative you are as a player. The gameplay alone was what got me hooked despite all the issues the game had. Also, being a Metal Gear game as usual, the attention to detail here is absolutely stunning! If you wan an idea of how detailed this game is, it came out on September 1 while some people managed to get their hands on the game a week in advance, and despite all that Mythbusters are still finding tons of new little details in the game that nobody managed to find yet.

Plus rocket-punching dudes in the face never gets old.

Still, I can't exactly mention Metal Gear Solid V on its own. There's another game that just barely missed the GOTY spot, but I think it's still worth mentioning regardless.

Though to be frank, I think this is just going to end up as most of WDA's GOTY.


You all know this game by now, considering how all over the place and in-your-face the fanbase is about it. To those who aren't aware of Undertale, a quick summary without giving too much away: it's a JRPG where you can avoid killing monsters and can resolve things peacefully by talking, and doing so does make drastic changes to the game. Also, in order to avoid getting hit, you have to play a bullet hell minigame and avoid the bullets, with each monster having both unique personalities and attack patterns.

Another great thing about Undertale is its sense of humor. The deadpan metagame humor is unbelievably hilarious. In addition, you have a super funky soundtrack, a memorable cast of characters, and while simple, a well-written insane story. I highly recommend this game, and since it's very lightweight, I believe that unless you run on a super old computer, it should work. Seriously do give this game a try if possible.

Also, it draws heavy inspiration from Earthbound (or Mother), Shin Megami Tensei, and Breath of Fire II.

[Totally ignoring the fact that these are the only games I played from this year]

EDIT: Oh sweet! This is my 3000th post.

Fuck that kiddy Undertale shit! Time for the guns! *Pew pew pew pew pew pew pew air horn*

Just kidding before someone takes that seriously. If I tried to pick which game should be GOTY I really couldn't pick. You got Witcher 3, Fallout 4, Metal Gear Solid V, Rocket League, Bloodborne, Undertale, all the big shooters so I really couldn't pick. Since this is a personal GOTY though fuck all the things. Which game gets my GOTY. I've played Metal Gear Solid V, Mortal Kombat X, Bloodborne and Undertale. Majora's Mask 3D doesn't count otherwise my nostalgia makes it automatic GOTY. I've beaten all the games except for Undertale for reasons. Here is my runner up.

Metal Gear Solid V



First the bad. It is well known content was cut, there was plenty more Kojima wanted to do but due to time things, mainly the conclusion to Eli's story, was cut. Kojima gave us the unfinished cutscene to that story for those who wanted to know what it was. Other things people thought as bad, the lack of story. Really what they mean to say is lack of cutscenes. The story isn't lacking, it's just thrown into the tapes. Remember how MGS4 had those looooooooooooooooong cutscenes people complained about? I supposed Kojima figured the solution to that was to throw that into tapes and split them up into multiple sections and make them optional.

People didn't want Boss to have a new voice but once the game came out people complained less and less. One because Sutherland does a good job even though it is different than Hayter and two...it's Big Boss guys. It seems people forget that Big Boss doesn't have the same voice actor all the time. As an old man in MGS4 he was played by Richard Doyle.

Lastly for the bad, the ending...oh boy what a debate that can start. I'll just say this, I know some don't like it and I can see why but personally I really like how it ended. Now for the good.

The gameplay oh my god the gameplay. This game plays fucking great, best playing MGS. Boss is fun to control, the enemies are fun to fight, the partners are fun to have on missions with you, everything is fun. The game looks good, it sounds good, it plays good, it is good. Along with the ending being a personal plus for me. Also fuck you Huey.

With all this it should be my GOTY right!? Well...

GOTY: Bloodborne



It looks like the final fight in MGS3! Okay now. So even though this is my GOTY I'm probably gonna talk about this less than MGSV. The gameplay is great. Both you and the bosses are faster than in other souls games and with the lack of a proper shield you better learn how to dodge and parry. The game is hard but not impossible, I was able to beat a good number of the bosses on my first try while some bosses took forever to beat. The boss battles themselves are also really fun and overall the game does a good job balancing rage worthy challenge and badass fun. I have played Bloodborne more than MGSV because of Bloodborne's replay ability.

The story, just like any souls game, is tucked away in item descriptions and vague hints in dialogue. You're a hunter, a person who hunts beasts on the night of the hunt and you grow stronger with every beast you kill. You die over and over but always head back to the dream to revive and start again. You are stuck hunting beasts and trying to stop the nightmare. Old ones are behind everything and the game has Lovecraft written all over it which I enjoy. The game has three different endings which are considered Good, Bad and True ending but really all the endings can be good or bad depending on what you wanted to accomplish.

With the DLC, The Old Hunters, coming out soon I'll have even more Bloodborne to enjoy until the release of Dark Souls 3. With how much I enjoy the gameplay and the world, Bloodborne is my GOTY.

Trails in the Sky SC


eh, am i supposed to elaborate on why? i'll write up something later i guess

i don't think i played anything from this year aside form undertale so...