I really want to experience the W3 story, but getting past the gameplay is the hard part for me. I want to like it. There are a lot of neat ideas. It just is lesser than the sum of all its parts.

Fallout 4 GotY is sort of a "good for Bethesda" topic for me. I love Bethesda games and will enjoy it whether there is a GotY (consensus or not) attached to it.

it's not that people do not see past the flaws, it's that the flaws rarely hinder the encompassing experience. Major flaws like the Ps3 debacle really put a damper in Bethesda's stride, but it's water under the bridge at this point.

Also, a catchphrase coined by the PC community isn't indicative of anything. You need mods if you want to enhance your gaming experience beyond what is already offered.

What part about the gameplay do you not like?

Witcher 3 is my GOTY. It was a pretty deep, emotinally engaging game with some rewarding gameplay aspects and great visuals.

It was also a very satisfying conclusion to the saga.

Although Fallout 4 will probably get the award by public opinion simply because it's Fallout. And Bethesda. Godd Howard cult and all that.

I don't understand how people like things like Life is Strange, or any of the Telltale games.

I barely understand how people can call them games in the first place.

Because they have gameplay in them.

If you don't want to call them games, then call them how you want, but don't say that liking them is so strange just because of that. They're great and well worth the price and the developers' work.

Life is strange, people like wildly different things.

One Dutch gaming site gave Assassin's Creed Unity GOTY in 2014

It isn't so much that I dislike it, so much as I don't really like it. There could have been better movement and interaction with the environment. Perhaps it is something that I will need to be in the proper mood to enjoy. It is more like a slow-burn game than a high octane blockbuster. Also, while probably technically superior, in terms of graphics, I just don't see it. There is wind, which is done well, and maybe some high poly models. I was not overtly impressed at its graphical qualities. To me, Assassin's Creed IV/Rogues water/ocean effects were very awesome. Overall, same impression though. Neat trick but nothing that vaults either game that far ahead of the others.

There were many things Witcher 3 didn't deliver in my opinion:

1) unengaging gameplay and clunky controls

2) average combat and combat variety

3) average exploration

4) poor "open" world where you were forced to do the main quest to get to the next area

5) poor rewards for defeating high-level enemies. The rewards for quests were often as bad. What is the point in getting a high-level weapon that I can't use at the moment?

6) the main quest is basically a series of fetch quests. TW3's story is basically "Find Ciri" through doing favors after favors, the fetching got old real fast. But since CDPR is known for good writing, everyone ignores the weak writing.

7) absence of stealth and a crime system. You can steal and no one gives a d*mn. How is that realistic?

8) and last, and not the least, next to no replayability. I have no interest in replaying Geralt's story again after it's already told.

And let's not forget about countless bugs everyone ignores too. I've never had so many bugs when I played vanilla Skyrim.

It remains to be seen whether Fallout 4 will deliver, but TW3 is far from being my GOTY. Very far. I'm amazed by the stellar reviews it got.

My goty so far is the witcher 3, its by no means perfect but its still an awesome experience. I feel like with what i've seen of fallout 4 (improved gunplay, overhauled perks/leveling, base building, focus on story) that it will probably top the witcher 3 for me.

I think there is certainly a case for the points you make.

If there is a perfect game, I haven't met it.

I played the Witcher 3, really enjoyed it, but I'm done now. I find its combat/inventory too fiddly to contemplate another 100 hours...

But I can entirely understand why it is up for GOTY, for its ambition.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is the same. I completed the game (as far as I can) and am no longer motivated to repeat missions for extra 'completion'. Yet that was another game getting 10/10's - does the game have issues? Hell yes.

So a GOTY judgement has to be made fairly flexibly, it shouldn't go to a game that svcks, but it's not a claim of perfection.

If there is an issue with naming any game GOTY, then perhaps we need to re-examine unrealistic expectations we hold ourselves.

Im gonna ride on the witcher sentiment for a minute.

Ive played alot of games, alot of games. Rarely have I been emotionally attached to world like I way in the witcher. The games narritive made me care, and by the end of the game I was getting pretty emotional towards my characters. Mind you this is the only game I played in their series, its quite impressive.

I think people will be in for a shock when they play Fo4. Seems like they have stepped up their game in every department, especially writing. Of course I can't be sure I havent played it, but just listen to those interviews with Delany/Taylor and you can really tell they spent alot of time and care making this game. In my book that counts for something.

Im definitly counting on fallout 4 to pull in the spotlight once its release, and I think it will make a hearty competitor to the witcher.

I'd have to strongly disagree with you on Witcher 3 having no replay value. It may not have the modding tools or mod scene that BGS games have but that doesn't mean it lacks longevity. There are more than enough quests that offer different outcomes, there are multiple endings and unless you are the type of gamer (Not referring to you) that rushes through, doing everything in one playthrough - Which would take the average gamer easily over 150 hours to accomplish - The Witcher 3 begs for at least 2 playthroughs in order to see and do everything that it offers. I played for around 280 hours and there are still quests, contracts etc. that I still need to do or missed.

Granted, I'm the type of player that takes their time and with games like TW3 and BGS games, I really take my time, soak everything in, explore every nook and cranny, do every quest, multiple times if there are branching paths. Speaking of quests, I'm hopeful that FO4 will actually have quests that offer different outcomes and branching paths and last but not least, C&C (choice and consequence) and a morally grey story which were severly lacking in Skyrim and FO3.

A shame truly, you are missing out on one of the best games/RPG's to have released in over a decade. Far from perfect, however, it gets more right than wrong and what it does well - Story, dialogue, quests - Far exceeds the majority of RPG's coming out these days.

Well said. I feel the same, there were moments in TW3 that teared me up, no game before has ever had the type of emotional impact that TW3 did for me. Unless FO4 really ups its game in the writing dept. actually offering some C&C, a morally grey story and quests, Witcher 3 will be my choice for "GOTY" - For the record I don't take the GOTY hysteria very seriously.

Phantom Pain is a huge disappointment imo. The core gameplay mechanics rock. Everything else is repetitive and becomes a chore to play. I've yet to play Witcher 3, though I've heard mixed opinions on that as well. Come December, we will all have our personal GOTY picks decided once we've had time to digest Fallout 4.

Every year a BGS game is released it is my goty because I like their game philosophy the most. Most likely it will grab the most goty awards, given their past games records or else it means the game will be worse than Skyrim.

Should add Nielsen has just come out with it's list of most anticipated multi-platform games in 2015.

Number One, ahead of Fallout 4, is Call of Duty: Black Ops III.

Not a game even on my wish list...

Is that sponsorship I'm smelling?

This. 5 years and 800 milion dollars to make 31 average missions, a deleted chapter 3, a 3/4 cut chapter 2 and "side ops".
Have fun listening to cassette tapes.

gonna have to put my bet on Fallout 4, from what i heard MGS5 was a bit of a dispointment, Witcher 3 was, alright, the story was good but thats kinda it with it, the gameplay is subpar, and the open world is empty, you cant really interact with anything in it, infact the witcher 3 is...kinda boring, its a beatiful looking game, but that doenst make up for it being boring and having nothing to really do outside of the main story, and bloodborne...was kinda short for a souls game, alot of the bosses were easy, not many weapons or armor, was a bit meh.

i tottaly agree with u, Phantom pain doesnt feel like MGS for me, it super lack on the story side, but and im sad to say this, since is [censored] Kojima last game there will be A LOT of [censored] during GOTY.

Still i think Wicher 3 should compete, is incredible, and i know Fallout 4 will be to so my vote is for those 2. But sadly i know MGS V will be there making noise.

I have to agree sadly.

The gameplay is excellent, and I can't fault it without resorting to caviling. But metal gear is, and always has been about story and melodrama. Without it I'm not sure if MGS V isn't truly just phantom in its own way.

In essence gameplay is king, but story is god in the MGS series. It's a good though an ultimately a forgettable game in a series of indelible moments and unforgettable emotions

I had to force myself to get past some parts of witcher 3 looking for ciri had to be the most boring thing I've ever done,However I did enjoy the 2nd and 3rd arcs alot tho...the world is boring and has no sense of discovery... Mgs 5 got way too boring too quick ...and I really miss the old metal gear formula of dramatic cutscene and story telling...I did enjoy both these games quite a bit but I prob won't ever play them again, just because it will always be the same thing

Fallout 4 will take it and I don't really think it will be close

ALL OF THIS AGREE 100%

With the October 6 multiplayer update, there is a good chance MGS V just blew themselves out of the water for GOTY.

Lots of folks irate at finding their single player game very negatively impacted by the microtransaction model Konami slipped in.

The way I see it, that makes it between Fallout 4 and Witcher 3. Fallout 4 gets my vote.

yea the story was meh intill later on, and the open world was.....almost kinda pointless, outside of the story that didnt get good till later on, i dont understnad why the witcher 3 has been praised so much...it was okay at best, the only other games that could really challenge Fallout 4s GOTY statues would either be halo 5, which i doubt will happen...and maybe SW: battlefront...which from what we have seen/heard, isnt going to be good in the first place.

The road to GOTY is paved with good intentions