Coint and Plick 2014 - The Seventh Annual ILX Video Game Poll

what does 'the last of us' have to do w/juno?

character is more than somewhat based on that film's lead actress

oh thats lame

http://www.greek-mythology-pantheon.com/wp-content/uploads/Greek_Gods_and_Goddesses/Hera_Juno_Greek_Goddess/Hera_Juno_Greek_Goddess_Art_01.jpg

http://b-i.forbesimg.com/erikkain/files/2013/06/ellen-page-and-ellie-from-The-Last-of-Us.jpg

I've been watching the trailers of some of these games, and it's kinda funny how uninformative some of them are about the actual game being sold. Some are little more than a few story details and atmospherics. I guess these trailers aren't being shown on TV, but rather linked to from gamer sites like, uhh, Blues News and The Shuga Shack, whose readers already have a pretty good idea what the game's about.

The Last of Us is a good example. After watching that trailer, I couldn't say for sure whether it's an adventure game, a first person shooter or something like Alone In The Dark. The trailer for The Room Two is little more than a sludge of hackneyed horror tropes cinematics, if I remember correctly. Perhaps understandable, since my final impression after looking around a bit more was that it's basically The Seventh Guest. Goofy horror scenes + puzzles.

Ennihoo, some of these new games look really impressive. Things have changed a lot in the past decade!

Did not expect to see it place that low. Altho I feel like PS3 exclusives never fly super well here anyway? I know I didn't vote for any until.... hmm, maybe ever, since I only got one in 2012 or 2013. Anyway I don't think this made my lsit because I still haven't gotten past the first few hours of the game because it just isn't inspiring me to pick it back up for whatever reason. For the same reason though I didn't play Uncharted for like a year, and still haven't done 2/3 even though they came with my PS3.

BTW, not to be confused with Beyond: Two Souls another PS3 game which actually DOES feature the actress from Juno, motion captured and all

yeah, when our Joel told me that Ellen Page was in a PS game but it wasn't Last of Us i was pretty confuzed

#30 (tie): Do-Don-Pachi Saidaioujou - X360 - 30 pts - 1 votes - 1 top game votes - TOP 360 EXCLUSIVE

http://i.imgur.com/i2HZogN.jpg

Website | Suicide Bullets | Castronaut | Bullet Heaven | Inbachi

I don't know why it took me so long to notice this, but many of the bosses look so..., calming. I don't know how else to say it. The bullet patterns, the speed of the bullets, the bosses themselves. I guess it's just the drugs speaking, or that I've played too much Mushi God-Mode under emulation, but I'm just saying. - Sapphire Densetsu, 9 months ago

the only game I played last year. it's good tho. - Alan N.

I pronounce this the honorary Jeff LeVine vote

is this an import title?

Last of Us almost got me to buy a ps3 download emulator software.

#30 (tie): Drive on Moscow - iOS - 30 pts - 1 votes - 1 top game votes

http://i.imgur.com/3XQkyPx.jpg

Website | Metacritic | Quarter to Three | Pocket Gamer | Story Summary

As the name implies, Drive On Moscow places players in Russia during World War Two, as the Axis powers pushed in and attempted to finally defeat and crush the Soviets in Moscow. Players choose either the Axis or Allies, a computer or human opponent (start with the computer; trust me on this one.), and then are presented with either a defense or attack scenario. Small square tokens represent units, and each round/day is broken up into a series of back-and-forth ‘Impulse’ moves – one Axis, followed by one Allies, and so on. It only takes a short while to figure out how to move and how to initiate combat. Don’t look for simple, quick combat resolutions, however. Remember: this ain’t Risk! Combat slowly wears units down, so gameplay is equally slow and strategy has to be carefully considered before executing each move. - Chris Kirby, 148 Apps

never heard of that - i guess i am not really in the iOS market - but i am intrigued. whoever gave this #1 has to stand up and reprezent

#30 (tie): Dota 2 - PC/Mac/Linux - 30 pts - 1 votes - 1 top game votes

http://i.imgur.com/IG8M6Xx.jpg

Dota Blog | Metacritic | Forbes | Ars Technica | Fan Fiction | Highlights

No other game has taken over my gaming life like this one. If I could have given a single game 100 points and not voted for anything else, I would have. That's how big of an impact it had on me this year. I've probably played at least 1 game every night since I installed it, watched countless pro matches, spectated a tournament IRL, and read everything I could about it.

Valve shows how F2P doesn't have to mean pay2win by engaging with the community rather than releasing a crippled game. Icefrog, the game's pseudonymous designer, consistently releases masterfully balanced patches which keep the game and the meta-game fresh. Is the game superior to LoL? In my opinion, yes, but you should just play whichever one your friends are playing. It's more fun that way - diamonddave85

dope game

also LOL at the fanfiction link, i'll have to read some of those

i've only spectated dota2 but it looked like more creep farming then LoL. also thought the graphics were uglier. but maybe they are just "grittier".

here's a youtube of what is known as The Play

xp personally i think LoL's graphic style is a bit deviantart but i mean it's all personal preference they're basically the same game

I love the crowd shouting "Na'Vi! Na'Vi!" haha

I almost included a link to deviantart for dota 2 fwiw

lol

never heard of that - i guess i am not really in the iOS market - but i am intrigued. whoever gave this #1 has to stand up and reprezent

that was me. i was wondering if anyone else would vote for it!

drive on moscow is really intense. every single move has to be carefully considered, and there many turns where you're scanning through the map, agonizing over every potential move and the consequences, thinking several turns ahead. it really shines when you're playing against a human opponent, especially if it's someone you know (i think it won pocket tactic's award for best multiplayer game last year).

it's not a casual game, but i don't think the learning curve is extremely steep, either. i think the game really confuses some people at first because the default scenario starts off with several exceptions to the normal gameplay (the axis units get to move several turns in a row and the soviets can't fire back - it's supposed to simulate the surprise attack of the real campaign). it's odd to complete the tutorial (which is well done!) and think you're totally ready to go, and then be thrown into a weird, unfamiliar situation.

but once you've got a handle on the rules, the game really comes into its own. the game really rewards both tactical and strategic thinking. you have to come up with some sort of broader strategy - whether to concentrate units to the east of moscow and move in with a pincer movement, to try to occupy/cutoff resupply cities for the enemy, or perhaps hang back and try to capture some nearby cities that are wellguarded but worth a bunch of victory points.

supply chains are the most important thing to keep in mind. you have to maintain a direct line of captured tiles back to your side of the map. if you don't, your units become isolated and are very much sitting ducks. likewise, you're always looking for opportunities to cut off your opponents supply chain. this is where the thrill/agony of every turn comes in, because the nature of the objectives and victory conditions means that (as the axis) you must always push forward as strongly as possible and try to capture a bunch of territory, but the more you push forward the more your supply line becomes vulnerable.

it is so good and engaging that it is agonizing. each scenario takes about 2-3 hours to play, depending on how long you tend to take while comparing every possible move. i played about 8 full scenarios, 4 against AI and 4 against a friend, and it completely overwhelmed my life and made me nervous. i had to stop. for those with steely nerves or the love of strategic anxiety, it's worth a couple bucks.

DDP: Saidaioujou was the only thing I voted for this year. you've probably already played it if you're into the series, but fwiw, this was my fave installment since the first two (which I honestly can't see anything unseating at this point). no 30min tutorials, no online play with teenage garbage people, just turn down the inane voice overs, turn up the rippin music, and dodge a billion bullets.

is this an import title?

yeah, but it isn't region-locked

thanks z! sounds really good i have to say. might have to take an office ipad home one weekend for diagnostics.

i love that bubsy game so so so so much

I adore bubsy 3D too, and I feel a real sadness at my inability to articulate how delighted it makes me feel. every bit of writing that appears on-screen kills me. every graphic kills me. every choice it makes is amazing.

I don't know why it took me so long to notice this, but many of the bosses look so..., calming. I don't know how else to say it. The bullet patterns, the speed of the bullets, the bosses themselves. I guess it's just the drugs speaking, or that I've played too much Mushi God-Mode under emulation, but I'm just saying. - Sapphire Densetsu, 9 months ago

is this true??? i kinda feel like heroin-SHMUP is exactly what i crave

ZS do u know the Battle of the Bulge game? same developers i think - very much like how you described. i think it just barely missed my ballot but now that i think about it i regret not voting for it :(

yep, same developers! battle of the bulge was the first one, and drive on moscow is the new version. same core gameplay, just slightly different units, different map, and moscow includes weather as a key feature.

is this true??? i kinda feel like heroin-SHMUP is exactly what i crave

sort of. (or maybe?) if a shmup is well-balanced and I really get into it, I do sometimes feel like the line between playing and reacting reflexively on a body level kinda breaks down and I get into this type of zone. a relaxing, and yeah, and maybe even vaguely psychedelic feeling reached by somehow navigating through something seemingly totally overwhelming. I can see where that guy is coming from regarding the the boss fights but I'm not sure I ever got good enough at this one to really say if it's a prime example. most any of the cave shmups would probably do - I really like the two mushihimesama games.

#29: Spaceteam - iOS/Android - 30 pts - 2 votes - 1 top game votes

http://i.imgur.com/Kj9FJsm.jpg

Website | Metacritic | Killscreen | Venus Patrol | Nerds Talking About Spaceteam | Website

Spaceteam is free and amazing (requires 2-4 players) - i really can't overstate how much fun it is. maybe game of the year. - Mordy

There aren't very many games that strike me as new and unique experiences. I've never played a game like Spaceteam. Nothing I played this year was more fun. Yell incoherently with your friends! - polyphonic

whaaat!? That sounds cool!

Reminds me of the Star Trek bridge simulator game.

I keep forgetting about that game! I may see if I can arrange a Spaceteam game tonight!

dan talking about artemis spaceship bridge simulator... i have heard a thematic comparison where artemis:enterprise::spaceteam:tardis

either way, i still haven't gotten a game of spaceteam going and have still only ever gotten one game of artemis going ;_;

#28: Super Mario 3D World - WiiU - 30 pts - 3 votes - TOP WiiU EXCLUSIVE

http://i.imgur.com/0gmn5yo.jpg

Website | Metacritic | Guardian | Quarter to Three | Trailer

How are we meant to keep reviewing these? It's a formula brilliantly executed, but more inventive than that reasonably ought to allow. - if

Fun co-op platformer, the cat suits are cute, the double Mario power-ups are fun and chaotic, but the Plessie levels can fuck right off - diamonddave85

I did play Super Mario 3D World and cat Mario is a brilliant idea. Plus the game looks amazing! - Adam Bruneau

#27: Shadowrun Returns - iOS/Android/PC/Mac/Linux - 30 pts - 3 votes - 1 top game votes

http://i.imgur.com/8bXzbyI.jpg

Website | Metacritic | Hardcore Gamer | IGN | Related Topics | Trailer

If you're after a game that has an involving storyline, excellent control system, intriguing and engaging characters and is something that you can pick up and play, despite having no prior experience with the RPG genre, I highly recommend Shadowrun Returns. It's almost more of a character driven, point and click adventure with the added depth of an RPG thrown in for good measure. - Karl Burnett, Touch Arcade

Shadowrun Returns gets honorable mention for the strength of its writing and graphic design, although its gameplay is far too unchallenging and the shift from a more personal quest to a conventional save-the-world plot halfway through is disappointing. (I have strong suspicions Expeditions: Conquistador may be the stronger RPG, but so far it's been too buggy on my laptop for me to evaluate properly.) - bnw

I'm dling Spaceteam as we speak!

#25 (tie): A Dark Room - Browser/iOS - 30 pts - 4 votes

http://i.imgur.com/CyIQr2s.jpg

Game | Kotaku | US Gamer | Walkthrough | Podcast

Could not get enough of these progression browser games this year. was pretty wild to find that it was (SPOILERS)!

I loved the minimalism of this and the sparse brutality of the writing. - reddening

I liked this one better than either Candy Box, though it lacked the element of tickled surprise that CB1 had. The doomy gloomy atmosphere worked very well for me. I only gave it five points in the end, but could have given it a few more, really.

The (SPOILERS) quote was Euler.

I voted for Dark Room. For those of us with a lot of tabs open at work, having a tab filled with progression bars and inventories is a welcome development.

I didn't vote for Last of Us or GTA5 as I didnt play them

a shadowrun game came out in 2013???

Yup, it was Kickstarted, and the second campaign came out recently. I should try it

that shadowrun quote wasn't me... unless i have finally broken off a lucky clone to get through my gaming backlog.

I think the Shadowrun quote was from my ballot, but it didn't seem worth a correction.

I played Shadowrun and had a decent time with it, but 5 hours in and it still felt like it was a tutorial. waaaaaay too easy