Kotaku, of of the webs most respected gaming blogs has helped me along with a thesis: Their GOTY (game of the year); Read Dead Redemption. Readers choice; Mass Effect 2.
Seems like the only games being nominated in the industry are tripple A titles, with elaborate stories and high production values. Indie games, and smaller productions aren't compared on the same level.
It is already clear that we are moving towards a schisma in game critique categorisation. Games CAN be only about gameplay, games CAN be only 10 minute acts of semi- social interaction on facebook (I'm looking at you farmville), but are those the games we are really interested in judging?
If we, collectively, are to elevate games to the statues gaming deserves, we need to get serious about how we write about developers, creative directors and concept artists. It's not good enough any more to just hand out a GOTY award to the right subgenre, we have to have serious evaluations of the WORKS.
I'm sick and tired of seing the industry squander opportunities for exciting projects, just because the critics with any say can't make up their damn mind of what they are expecting from the industry.
I'm just saying; make demans of the subgenre that matters, and make those demands with credibility and seriousness.
That is where Indie- games come in. Because the one thing that critics get right is that they are turning their heads towards games that matter outside the tripple- a games, but they aren't giving them credit where it shows. How about giving Flower or Braid the GOTY award? Each of those games innovated more in their own way then Read Dead Redemption.
JEEEZUZ.
