Spot on. Which is why I think you can basically remove the top 5 from any list such as this and look at the rest to make it more interesting. I'm not saying the top 5 aren't good, they are. It's just that they're predictable and boring because even people who just played 1 game this year will have played one of those and voted for it, regardless of whether another game on the list (or off) would've made him or her feel even better.

A list that includes "a 100th sequel" (aka--nothing--that could be Gears 2, or Fallout 3, or MGS4) and "a couple of the usual" is more predictable?! Come on now, you're not even trying. You could have at least listed actual games in your "guess."

I think a polling of the general gaming public would actually wind up looking pretty simular to what you see here. Just look at a large, relatively casual website's user picks. They're all over the place and it's the same stuff on every site.I've been playing older games a lot myself.. but I sorta agree. Even though I haven't purchased any rhythm games this year, I'm sad there's none on the list. The fact that no one voted for RB2 because it rehashes Rock Band's mechanics doesn't seem very just when there's seven other sequels on the list.

And then there is the flip side is that in 2008 some of us bought consoles and our bias for 360 games would be more because they were more compelling to them than PS3 ones. e.g. Myself. I could have gotten a PS3 or Wii ... but when looking at the content I chose the 360 as the final purchase because the games I wanted weren't on the PS3. So platform bias based on ownership is partly related to software recognition, but also partly a product of software selecting platform purchase.

Anyhow, Gamersyde GotY is just that--Gamersyde, whatever that demographic will be. Even an objective panel of experienced game reviewers is going to disagree based on preference and appeal.

I think the solution's got everything to do with deliberately gravitating away from the conventional top 5 though. I mean even arranging "best" to "not so best" in a list of 10 entries based on this year's top games is rediculously impossible. This year has almost left a bad taste in my mouth from all the insane goodness, it's nearly to the point where I want something flawed and bitter for contrast.

GOTY seems to often wind up being some kind of vague statement about what games transcend the usual gameyness and stand out as an event or as a significant stride in not just gameplay but perhaps also perception. LBP is a good example of something that has altered our perception of what games can be like. This is all fun and good and a great topic of conversation, but then the picks are also so damn obvious.

Of COURSE LBP has altered our perception of what games can be like so of course it's gonna be up there. Of course MGS4 was one of the most important gaming events of the year and of course the cutscenes are gonna beam together in a cinematic experience, powered by the shared culture into a shuttle of glorious fan gospel worthy a GOTY mention. This all makes so much sense that you can't possibly complain when the top 5 scrolls by on your computer monitor. It never really had much to do with what game was the best or anything like that because they were all incredibly good, so for all intents and purposes these identical GOTY lists you see everywhere are the unquestionable truth. Those are, without a doubt, the games of the year.

I'm personally more interested in finding out what games people picked out of their own interest and which of those they enjoyed though, and when you move out of the obvious top 5 picks, I think you get closer to that.

The not-so-ironic part of the bias statement is how loaded with bias it is.

I kinda think that was his point. :)

And he did a fantastic job putting it together and with its presentation. Hats off and all that.

Yeah... it's certainly not the perfect image of what we really enjoyed most this year. I actually attempted to do that. That's why for example, I didn't vote for Gears 2 or GTA4. It's not because I don't think they deserve to be in the big picture, but I haven't really played or put much time into them yet. Likewise, if I actually owned GHWT or RB2 I imagine I would have listed them, but I can't say for sure.

I don't think GH2's track list is really all that great. The fact that they're covers does impact the quality of the experience too. It just kills some of my favorite tracks. There's not a rhythm game out there with a set list that everyone is going to love through and through. If I just had to enjoy all of the music I couldn't enjoy the genre.