RPGWatch - Shortlisting the GOTY

Originally Posted by Ovenall
Maybe I should look into that Kingdome Come game. I have almost zero notion of what it's about. Haven't really read anything about it.

https://www.rpgwatch.com/articles/ki…eview-464.html

Originally Posted by porcozaur
How many choices can enter the poll, 10? Then make a 1 week preliminary forum round where users can nominate 10 games from that huge list, and after that make the real poll with the 10 most mentioned games?

Nice idea but 10 will again put rarities in. So I'd put preliminary vote on 5 titles from the lot to filter not 10 most "popular" but 20 or 30 as @forgottenlor already pointed out.

I would also remove all JRPGs (personal preference), MMOs and maybe strictly tactical games with little or no RPG-parts (like BattleTech and Thronebreaker).

My GotY's are PoE II (immensely surprised how good it is!) and Pathfinder: Kingmaker.

Most anticipated for 2019 is Realms Beyond (I'm not sure Cyberpunk will release in 2019).

I'm quite amused by the fact that my game choice of the year is the one that seems to be the borderline for the cut off. The first one for me is quite easy, the second and third choices will be the difficult ones. I'm in favour of whatever makes it easier for the counters, so let the chips fall where they may.

On that list for the king is actually pretty good. You might be right that no one here cares for the game or would vote for it (and it isn't really and rpg; more of a rogue something or other); but somehow it feels wrong to be on that list as most of those games are utter trash.

Originally Posted by forgottenlor
Let's consider the games above Trails of Cold Steel. I suggest doing away with


For the King
Jagged Alliance: Rage!
Sword Legacy: Omen
Dustwind
Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics 2018-10-04
The Warriorlock
Nantucket
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA
Dark Quest 2
Depth of Extinction
We Happy Few
Deep Sky Derelicts
Exiled Kingdoms
Ys: Memories of Celceta
Dead In Vinland
Extinction
Healer's Quest
Sanctus Mortem
The 7th Circle
Dead Cells
LEGRAND LEGACY: Tale of the Fatebounds

As I don't think any of those games have a realistic chance at a top 10 spot. Any other suggestions?

I know people have different preferences and all that but when i saw Fallout 76 for GotY, i felt a bit….unsettled. It shouldn't be touching the list with a ten foot pole .

Anyway….my personal choices are:

Game of the Year
1. Pathfinder: Kingmaker
2. Pillars of Eternity II
3. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
4. Vampyr
5. Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
6. INSOMNIA: The Ark
7. ATOM RPG
8. Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
9. Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
10. Kenshi
11. Ashen

Most Anticipated
1. Cyberpunk 2077 (iff it actually releases in 2019)
2. Druidstone: The Secret of the Menhir Forest
3. Realms Beyond
4. The Outer Worlds
5. Operencia: The Stolen Sun
6. Wasteland 3
7. Encased
8. Edge of Eternity (i think it releases in 2019)

I've only played Assassins creed: Odyssey for 2018 games so I really wont be able to vote anyway.

I don't really have much interest in GOTY lists anyway. What others think about how good a game is doesn't affect my enjoyment of it. I guess some people get a warm feeling inside if they see their favorite game on the list though.

As for FO76, I think if you take out all the comments goofing on it then the comment count goes from 1032 to about 32.

I can cut it down to 42 games:

Aeon of Sands: The Trail
Ash of Gods
Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
ATOM RPG: Post-apocalyptic indie game
Banner Saga 3
BattleTech
Book of Demons
Call of Cthulhu
Dark Quest 2
Dead Cells
Disgaea 5 Complete
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Exiled Kingdoms
Final Fantasy XV
For the King
Ghost of a Tale
Healer's Quest
Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption
Into The Breach
Kenshi
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Monster Hunter: World
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom
Pathfinder: Kingmaker
Phantom Doctrine
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire
Shenmue 1 & 2
Star Control: Origins
Star Traders: Frontiers
The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep
The Council
The Great Gaias
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II
Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
Tower of Time
Valkyria Chronicles 4
Vampyr
Vigilantes
Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus
Yakuza 0
Ys: Memories of Celceta


I excluded

Mixed on Steam
Underworld Ascendant
Fallout 76
INSOMNIA: The Ark
Warhammer 40.000: Inquisitor - Martyr
Space Hulk: Tactics
Jagged Alliance: Rage!
Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA
Depth of Extinction
We Happy Few


Mostly Positive on Steam
Shadows: Awakening
State of Decay 2
Sword Legacy: Omen
Dustwind
Shieldwall Chronicles: Swords of the North
The Warriorlock
Nantucket
Deep Sky Derelicts
Dead In Vinland
Extinction
Sanctus Mortem
The 7th Circle
LEGRAND LEGACY: Tale of the Fatebounds

What's missing is this shorter list?

To make it clear, I didn't put my monocles, and forgot tried look smart. The criteria applied are explained after the table.

Title	Date	Genre	News Posts	Comments	Average
Pathfinder: Kingmaker	2018-09-25	RPG	83	3026	36
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire	2018-05-08	RPG	107	2635	25
The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep	2018-09-18	Dungeon Crawler	92	2436	26
Kingdom Come: Deliverance	2018-02-13	Action-RPG	235	2040	9
Underworld Ascendant	2018-11-15	RPG	120	1198	10
Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption	2018-07-10	Adventure-RPG	116	495	4
Vampyr	2018-06-05	Action-RPG	64	445	7
Assassin's Creed: Odyssey	2018-10-05	Action-RPG	20	400	20
INSOMNIA: The Ark	2018-09-27	RPG	74	376	5
Call of Cthulhu	2018-10-30	Adventure-RPG	31	313	10
ATOM RPG: Post-apocalyptic indie game	2018-12-19	RPG	23	278	12
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden	2018-12-04	Tactical RPG	21	190	9
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age	2018-09-04	J-RPG	14	178	13
Warhammer 40.000: Inquisitor - Martyr	2018-06-05	Action-RPG	30	161	5
Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales	2018-10-24	Card-Based RPG	11	144	13
Kenshi	2018-12-06	Strategy-RPG	17	129	8
Banner Saga 3	2018-07-26	Strategy-RPG	26	124	5
Valkyria Chronicles 4	2018-09-25	Strategy-RPG	12	103	9
Shadows: Awakening	2018-08-31	Tactical RPG	18	95	5
Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom	2018-03-23	J-RPG	19	89	5
Ash of Gods	2018-03-22	Tactical RPG	21	81	4
Star Traders: Frontiers	2018-08-01	RPG	27	76	3
Aeon of Sands: The Trail	2018-12-04	Dungeon Crawler	10	61	6
For the King	2018-04-19	Roguelike	31	61	2
Sword Legacy: Omen	2018-08-13	Tactical RPG	7	54	8
Shieldwall Chronicles: Swords of the North	2018-12-17	Tactical RPG	3	51	17
Nantucket	2018-01-18	Strategy-RPG	3	36	12
The Great Gaias	2018-06-22	RPG	3	31	10
Deep Sky Derelicts	2018-09-26	Action-RPG	5	29	6
Exiled Kingdoms	2018-02-23	Action-RPG	2	24	12
Extinction	2018-04-10	Action-RPG	5	20	4
Healer's Quest	2018-04-18	RPG	8	20	3
Sanctus Mortem	2018-11-16	J-RPG	5	20	4

For those bellow All those bellow The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II in the table listed by number of posts, same filters:

Title	Date	Genre	News Posts	Comments	Average
Immortal Unchained	2018-09-07	Action-RPG	3	13	4
Knight Bewitched	2018-04-18	J-RPG	2	11	6
Azure Saga: Pathfinder	2018-03-14	J-RPG	4	10	3
Demon's Rise: Lords of Chaos	2018-04-25	Tactical RPG	3	10	3
Lost Sphear	2018-01-23	J-RPG	5	10	2
Das Geisterschiff	2018-09-19	Adventure-RPG	1	8	8
Epic Battle Fantasy 5	2018-11-30	RPG	1	7	7
Beast Quest	2018-03-13	Action-RPG	2	6	3
Pit People	2018-03-02	Strategy-RPG	3	5	2
Niffelheim	2018-09-26	Adventure-RPG	5	3	1
Azuran Tales: Trials	2018-06-01	Metroidvania RPG	1	2	2
Xploquest 2	2018-02-20	Adventure-RPG	2	1	1
Fallen Legion+	2018-01-05	Action-RPG	2	0	0
Gilded	2018-01-18	J-RPG	1	0	0
The Greater Good	2018-10-23	Adventure-RPG	2	0	0
Towards The Pantheon	2018-05-16	RPG	3	0	0
Cursed Lands	2018-05-18	RPG	0	0	0

Filter applied, if it matches then removed:
- Original release older than 2017, this removes all remake, all console releases with a PC release too much delayed.
- No characters levels, this removes all games that are more adventure or pure action games.
- No classes or skills, this removes all games that are more adventure or pure action games.
- No character/party/roster building, this removes all games that are more adventure or pure action games.
- Roguelike/Roguelite when it's more than random items/drops, and enemies placements. This removes all Roguelike and Roguelite, but not one in the list and tagged Roguelike but it seems more a dev com trick than a reality.
- Games that look more like XCOM than tactical RPG, the trap is not confuse pure Tactical or Strategy/Tactical games with Tactical RPG. As far I know Strategy RPG doesn't exist yet, either the strategy aspect is insignificant, either the strategy aspect is the core and it's strategy with RPG elements.

Filters NOT applied:
- JRPG
- Roster approach by opposition of single character or party.
- Dungeon Crawlers, because I can't remove from my mind that Wyzardry 1 is a RPG.

In my point of view it's not a problem that it doesn't match the curator list.

I have some heavy doubts on some I didn't removed, but can't say without to play them:
- Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
- Star Traders: Frontiers, seems like a Roguelike, but I was wondering.

No way this filtering is safe, I haven't played too many of them.

EDIT: Seriously, with those filters the list was that big each year?

EDIT2: I added Cursed Lands, that I played and which is very obviously a RPG.

EDIT3: Added a second table for those bellow All those bellow The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II in the table listed by number of posts.

My personal top 5 would be:

5 - The Bard's Tale IV
4 - Hero-U: Rogue To Redemption
3 - ATOM RPG
2 - Kenshi
1 - Pathfinder: Kingmaker

Originally Posted by HiddenX
I can cut it down to 42 games:

Aeon of Sands: The Trail
Ash of Gods
Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
ATOM RPG: Post-apocalyptic indie game
Banner Saga 3
BattleTech
Book of Demons
Call of Cthulhu
Dark Quest 2
Dead Cells
Disgaea 5 Complete
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Exiled Kingdoms
Final Fantasy XV
For the King
Ghost of a Tale
Healer's Quest
Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption
Into The Breach
Kenshi
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Monster Hunter: World
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom
Pathfinder: Kingmaker
Phantom Doctrine
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire
Shenmue 1 & 2
Star Control: Origins
Star Traders: Frontiers
The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep
The Council
The Great Gaias
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II
Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
Tower of Time
Valkyria Chronicles 4
Vampyr
Vigilantes
Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus
Yakuza 0
Ys: Memories of Celceta


I excluded

Mixed on Steam
Underworld Ascendant
Fallout 76
INSOMNIA: The Ark
Warhammer 40.000: Inquisitor - Martyr
Space Hulk: Tactics
Jagged Alliance: Rage!
Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA
Depth of Extinction
We Happy Few


Mostly Positive on Steam
Shadows: Awakening
State of Decay 2
Sword Legacy: Omen
Dustwind
Shieldwall Chronicles: Swords of the North
The Warriorlock
Nantucket
Deep Sky Derelicts
Dead In Vinland
Extinction
Sanctus Mortem
The 7th Circle
LEGRAND LEGACY: Tale of the Fatebounds

I think we could further limit your list of 42.

I'd exclude

Aeon of Sands
Ash of Gods
Dark Quest 2
Dead Cells
For the King
Healer's Quest
Star Trader's Frontier

on the grounds that they are fairly obscure titles that I doubt many of here have played and on those grounds alone won't get enough votes.

And:

Book of Demons
Into the Breach
Y's Memory of Celceta

On the grounds that they aren't the kind of games that would get on an RPGWatch rpg of the year of list. They are too far away from a standard CRPG.

Shenmue 1 & 2 is also suspect to me on grounds of its age.

That would be 31 games, a fairly good size for a list, I think.

Originally Posted by sakichop
I've only played Assassins creed: Odyssey for 2018 games so I really wont be able to vote anyway.

I don't really have much interest in GOTY lists anyway. What others think about how good a game is doesn't affect my enjoyment of it. I guess some people get a warm feeling inside if they see their favorite game on the list though.

As for FO76, I think if you take out all the comments goofing on it then the comment count goes from 1032 to about 32.

I only played Kingmaker but I will still vote to support Kingmaker

Yes, I'm one of those who get warm feeling inside to see my favourite game on the list

Most anticipated: Realms Beyond (I don't think it will be released in 2019 though) & Druidstone: The Secret of the Menhir Forest

EDIT: I think top 3 contenders for GOTY would be Kingmaker, PoE2 and KCD

Originally Posted by forgottenlor
I think we could further limit your list of 42.
…

We could, because they have no chance of winning, but I think it is unfair to exclude games with very high player ratings.

Even to be nominated for RPGWatch is an honor and gets them some well earned attention.

I think 40 games a bit too much - wouldn't 30 be a better number?

Originally Posted by purpleblob
I think 40 games a bit too much - wouldn't 30 be a better number?

We have to use 40 or more, because the Codex used only 39

Here's my take on it.

Game of the Year contenders.

1. Pathfinder: Kingmaker
2. Pillars of Eternity II
3. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
4. Hero U Road to redemption
5. The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep
6. . Vampyr
7. ATOM RPG
8. Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
9. Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
10. Kenshi
11. Phantom Doctrine

Most Anticipated….
1. Disco Elysium
2. Druidstone: The Secret of the Menhir Forest
3. Realms Beyond
4. The Outer Worlds
5. Gloomhaven
6. Wasteland 3
7. Encased
8. Greedfall
9. The Iron Oath
10. Operencia: The Stolen Sun
11. Fell seal
12. Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones
13. Copper Dreams
14. Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness

Originally Posted by HiddenX
We have to use 40 or more, because the Codex used only 39

That's a choice to do, exhaustive or restrictive.

But no matter how good are games like Battletech or Phantom Doctrine, they will never be RPG.

It reminds me music magazine so much bored to comment only music releases and events that they switched to become more political or cover society topics.

It's not because member of codex or RPGWatch like a game that it makes it a RPG. And frankly there's many more that that are very boderline RPG in codex list. Yeah an adventure game can have choices and consequences, sigh.

The Watch was never restrictive
We exclude non-PC games and MMOs.

Borderline RPGs won't get many votes.

Originally Posted by purpleblob
I only played Kingmaker but I will still vote to support Kingmaker

Yes, I'm one of those who get warm feeling inside to see my favourite game on the list

Most anticipated: Realms Beyond (I don't think it will be released in 2019 though) & Druidstone: The Secret of the Menhir Forest

EDIT: I think top 3 contenders for GOTY would be Kingmaker, PoE2 and KCD

Well, to be honest while I think ACO is a good game it's not goty material imo. If it does win that would tell me It's a pretty lean year for RPG's. So that leaves me with no vote.

I'll probably get to Kingmaker this year which will probably leave me with no goty vote next year.

Given the way the industry encourages not playing games right away with several post release patches, dlc, and balancing. Maybe 2018 goty voting should start on new years 2020.

As the definition of RPG always has been extremely vague including lots of pure tactics game in the past, I'd like to throw in Rimworld, which certainly has lots of RPG aspects.

Not sure whether this would be fair though because thats a great game with a big fellowship