Am I alone to feel this 2010 buyer guide very disappointing? The choice of a buyer guide instead of the standards (boring) goty lists is quite smart because it offers much more freedom. That's a good point but I felt this freedom hasn't been exploited deeply enough and feel it ends with something mildly deep and mildly superficial and amateurish. The first very unpleasant feeling is that some some games are put in some categories they don't relate at all. This is a terrible clue that this guide has been made in haste and without the care and polishing it deserves to last more than few days. The worst example is certainly Monkey Island 2 in the Sim/Strategy section. But there are other like Cut The Rope, Tilt to Live, Fastar! (not a single platform in the game!), Lego Harry Potter (Nope Spell and Fantasy don't mean RPG). The second very unpleasant feeling is coming from the categories themselves. Most are unimaginative, just fitting the very common standards, some weird merges like make one category with Simulation and Strategy, an almost complete ignorance of gaming specifics on iPhone/iPad. A buying guide with no categories like Tower Defense, Hidden Object Adventures, Dual Stick shooters, Brick Breaker, Match 3 variations, and more is not a choice from a site that pretend have a deep knowledge on indie gaming and idevice gaming. I mean I would expect from a TA 2010 buying a much more deep dip into 2010 gaming on iDevice. As it is it's more a pointless stuff and I haven't discover a single game in it, which is quite weird when you think I started played games on iPad only at end of June. I have other grip against this guide but those above are the main points and the other points are harder to debate because a precise selection list can always be questionable, it's a difficult art. I'll just mention some obvious points. Firstly a quote, at first I think TA made the choice to reject from the lists any game flawed with some technical problems, even when the effect on gameplay was minor until I noticed Alaron, The Incident, Robot Unicorn Attack... I don't reproach this, I just quote it and I'm fine with that, I'll never ever stop arguing that technicals aren't the point of a game, only the overall end result matter, at least for non superficial gamers. So on this base only few quotes: 2010 Puzzle without: Beyond Ynth, Let's Create Pottery, Master of Alchemy, Puzzle Quest 2, Call of Atlantis, Shadow Runner. 2010 Platformer without: Despicable Me Minion Mania, Trundle, Somersault, Don't Let Go: A Platformer, Frogatto, Prince of Persia Warrior Within, Stick Golf, Ice Cube Adventures. 2010 RPG without: Puzzle Quest 2 and Rimelands, lol. 2010 Board section is just ridiculous even me with not an in deep knowledge of this type of game can quote it. I won't lost time to quote a selection, players with a deeper knowledge of those type of game can do it. The strategy section 2010 Retro without: R Type, Frogatto, and more. And I could add ton more. The problem is when you pretend do a 2010 buyer guide, you can't have the superficial approach of standards GOTY.
What? I think the selection and categories are fine, for the most part. If they had listed FIFA 11, Galaxy on Fire 2, and Modern Combat 2 instead of X2 Soccer, Warpgate, and Archtype, it could have been better.
exactly.....i happen to love nhl 2k11.....but so many people hate it. i love it for the fact that its hockey on my ipod same with other games.....they couldnt please everyone
I agree with Qordobo's opinion. The TA list is confusing, messy and very incomplete while also being too long. It shows a lack of discipline. Yeah, that's my opinion. You're welcome to voice yours too, cuz that's what discussion forums are for.
We spent close to a week on the iPhone and iPad lists and I skipped a family function on the 23rd to make sure it was complete for everyone on Christmas Eve. Thanks for the vote of confidence, all of these comments on both the forums and the front page are truly heartwarming.
Well I liked the buyers guide except there was no super quick hook, but that was my only complaint. I thought the guide was complete, and simple to understand. The list also did a good job of incorporating games from earlier in the years, like Fruit Ninja. You must remember, you can never please everyone, especially in a forum full of people who hold very strong opinions on certain games. Happy Holidays btw.
I thought it was great except for the absence of Galaxy on Fire 2. But whenever there are lists like this there will always be those who disagree with the selections. It's amazing how many great games came out this year and I'm glad that they were able to do such a detailed write-up about them. If you're that disappointed then you can contribute to the forum's year in review but I'm pretty sure yours won't be nearly as detailed as the one Hodapp did.
You'd think that the phrase "we feel" would have been enough to clearly label it an opinion piece. The article includes a nice mix of apps, popular and niche, and is a fun reflection on 2010. It's got fresh write ups of each featured game - clearly a lot of work went into it. If everyone reading TA agreed on what the best games are, the world would be a boring place That being said, I agree that some of the category buckets seem a bit forced, and there are a few minor grammatical mistakes (i.e. "will intelligently chooses plays for you"). I think most folk would agree that these are easy to forgive considering the timeliness of the article, and the fact that there's an "Odds and End" category for things which completely_ defied being pigeon holed.
Well, IMHO the absence of point-and-click/text adventure section sticks out like a sore thumb... I really don't understand this choice, as there are a lot of good and even relatively successful games belonging to this category. Then Monkey Island 2 wouldn't have had to be shoehorned where it clearly doesn't belong and other deserving games could have been mentioned, too. Beyond that, only a couple of mis-categorizations and arguable omissions.
Lol if I read this as an answer to OP, and I could because no post are quoted, then I could only thanks for the ironical smash. But yeah I don't read it like that, it's just a thanks for those that, unlike me, appreciate the result of all the effort put in. I do agree that I could have write the OP of this thread with a bit more diplomacy, and should have highlight the good points. But well, the OP was already too long to add also a more balanced point of view, and yes that's unfair but the subject was only the negative points. But that's an interesting point of view too, what's good in TA 2010 Buyer guide?
I do agree with that and yes it would be difficult for anybody to make alone such guide, but I doubt Hodapp made it alone, because you can't be a specialist of all type of games. My main problem with this is that it isn't a 2010 Game buyer guides it pretends to be. It's another GOTY with a good slight variation of selecting multiple games for different categories and skip select the winner in each category. But it's not so fresh, many GOTY does the effort to highlight the nominee too and you end with something quite similar, not a Games Buyer guide.
It is clear that a lot of work went into the list. As with all lists like this, there are always going to be opinions of what should have been added or left out. I thought the list was pretty good.
Hey guys, ever thought that maybe if they didn't include a category like "Point and Click Adventure Games" it was because they didn't think any of those games were among the best of the year? They don't have to include a game from every possible imaginable category, only the games that are actually good, regardless of category.
For me that's a point of view which ends in selections of First person shooter, RPG and RTS, no other genre worthing it. In 2010 there's been a lot of quality adventure games mixing hidden objects and puzzles, and some very noteworthy with point and click. So you could not like the genre as traditional first person shooters or sports games bore me, but that doesn't mean it's not good. That's just a wrong arguing. And I have the same problems with TD, absolutely zero strategy games didn't even match close the fun I got from multiple of the best TD released this year. And the guide end in none selected not because they aren't great TD but because none in TA team enjoy this genre? Well that's a reason but a weird reason.
We started with a list of around 200+ games. All it comes down to is that those we posted were our favorites. if you disagree, think it sucks, or any of the other nasty things people are saying... Why not make your own if ours is so lackluster?
Ok lets stop this thread Its one thing to say your opinion , its another to accuse someone of a sham (pretend). Hodapp had to consider every game made this year. You expect your favorite games to be on his list ? His list is made up of 365 days of game releases. Do you have any idea or comprehend how much work is that. How many games he had to consider leaving out ? I respect the mans work ethic , so dont say the list pretends , thats disrespectful. You can say you disagree with list and name some games. Or make your own list in each catagory , lets see your list . Put your list so everyone here can judge you and let you feel the fire. Feel whats its like for everyone to jump down your neck and say oh it sucks , your list is poo, your list FAILS .....etc. Hodapp has a tough job , respect it!!
It's an excellent list full of great games. There's something here for everyone, no matter what kind of gamer you are.
Yeah, although games such as FIFA 11, GOF 2 and spiderman total mayheim should have make it to the list, I liked how the list was organized. Great job Hodapp and marry Christmas everyone!!
First because I don't care much to list the games I already know well. Second because I can't in many type of game that I don't know enough well. Third because a thread couldn't allow such attempt and I don't care open a site or something for that. That said I'm sorry it seems hurt you a bit too much that your work get negative critics. I can understand it but I believed TA team was able to go over this. Ha well all of that isn't important there's no point for me to go further, the truth is I don't care and I won't check but I'm 100% sure I won't be able to find another similar list of iphone/ipad games half as good that this on TA.
