You've managed to sway me in almost all of your past points on Naughty Dog and Rockstar alike, but I really feel like The Last of Us was a shot-for-shot reaction to every narrative weakness of Uncharted. Their encounter design is still a little weak, but the combat mechanics actually convey tension, desperation, and…

Like awards in other entertainment industries, Game of the Year awards are more about honoring the creators of the games than informing or appeasing consumers.

Still, it would've only broadened their audience to show some FemShep in the trailers. I can't imagine the type of person that would've deterred.

Who'd have thought that constant fear of imminent failure could be so fun!

Awesome is sort of what God of War excels in. And what it has excelled in since the 6th Generation when it was much more novel and important.

I mean, it was a solid game, but other than its visuals, it was pretty much still God of War. Not exactly influential.

As much love as I have for the Halo series, this generation has seen it slowly bow down to Call of Duty. For the 6th Generation, though, Halo 1 & 2 would be at the top of the list.

Great question. The answer is "no."

Definitely agree. I've never been much for strategy games, certainly not turn-based strategy, but XCOM made me a believer. That, and it's a perfect demonstration of the way Rogue-like sensibilities are starting to permeate everything.

I'd argue that Fallout 3 was more influential than Skyrim. It added a moral layer to Oblivion's groundwork, with better writing and a bigger world to boot. Skyrim was a further refinement, but the need to make choices in Fallout had more impact on me. My character in Skyrim shifted wildly from world-savior to Daedric…