How is this game so good?

[CementStairs]

And how did it not win GOTY 2019?

[PotRoastPiggy]

It's won other awards at smaller shows thankfully, I think it will get more attention when the other parts are released.

[xelakerley]

2019 was a really good year for games, and this def isn't goty material. It's a solid indie title and that's about it man. If you wanna even begin looking at this like goty for 2019 you have to look at Sekiro, Re2, Disco Elysium, and a bunch of other great games. Don't mistake heady themes for all around quality.

[CementStairs]

Originally posted by xelakerley:

2019 was a really good year for games, and this def isn't goty material. It's a solid indie title and that's about it man. If you wanna even begin looking at this like goty for 2019 you have to look at Sekiro, Re2, Disco Elysium, and a bunch of other great games. Don't mistake heady themes for all around quality.

No, I stand by this. Pathologic 2 is the best and most original game that came out last year. It has such an interesting story, fun gameplay where you utilize every second of player's time(there's always something happening) and the visuals are gorgeous.

[Phonix111186]

Because the writer is a bit of a genius it seems, and this is their second attempt at the same story. The characters and world have been living and developing for over 10 years in the writer's heads. They also draw on a lot of Russian literature that is a bit difficult to understand but presumably very very good.

I asked myself the same question. It's amazing how good a good story can be. How did they do it? With tons of effort and standing on the shoulders of giants.

[peppergomez]

I just began playing it this evening, maybe 30 min in, and it is audaciously good/interesting so far. It feels like art theater as much as a video game. I am loving this trend of arty indie games lately, like this and Disco Elysium.

[planescaped]

I can easily and confidently state that Pathologic 2 is one of if not the best game I have played in the past decade.

I think it is an actual gaming masterpiece.

[Seed_Skepticism]

Because it isn't popular. GOTY award shows are always just popularity contests, nothing more, which is why you see unoriginal and poorly written Hollywood garbage like Resident Evil nominated every time a new iteration is shat out.

Pathologic 2 presents the most dynamic story in gaming's history along with strong world building and characters. It's not for those who see games as a mindless hobby - calling it just a game is almost degrading, for it is an example of modern artistic ingenuity.

[jgtogi]

The game isn't GOTY material. The survival mechanics are tedious, the storyline borderlines nonsensical and the living world really isn't all that dynamic. The player can't stop the plague early for example and really doesn't have to do anything until the last few days other than simply survive. The graphics are stuck in 2016 and the dialogue isn't fully voiced. Not to mention the random spikes in difficulty (combat gauntlet out of nowhere on day 10/11, food issues on day 7/10). The game is good but it is indie game and not really doing anything to define or create another genre.

How many times have you cured an infected person and they just stand there staring off into space. Jeez, a thank you would be nice at least. People just stand around not doing anything most of the day just waiting for the player to have the appropriate quest. This isn't 2019 RPG design at least in Skyrim people had routines. Just compare this to a game like Ghosts of Tsushima and enough said. Heck I would compare this to vanilla Skyrim and it still would fall short.

[Vettige Sven]

Originally posted by jgtogi:

The game isn't GOTY material. The survival mechanics are tedious, the storyline borderlines nonsensical and the living world really isn't all that dynamic. The player can't stop the plague early for example and really doesn't have to do anything until the last few days other than simply survive. The graphics are stuck in 2016 and the dialogue isn't fully voiced. Not to mention the random spikes in difficulty (combat gauntlet out of nowhere on day 10/11, food issues on day 7/10). The game is good but it is indie game and not really doing anything to define or create another genre.

How many times have you cured an infected person and they just stand there staring off into space. Jeez, a thank you would be nice at least. People just stand around not doing anything most of the day just waiting for the player to have the appropriate quest. This isn't 2019 RPG design at least in Skyrim people had routines. Just compare this to a game like Ghosts of Tsushima and enough said. Heck I would compare this to vanilla Skyrim and it still would fall short.

Skyrim? Stopping the plague early? THANK YOU'S? Please refrain from commenting if you don't get the game. And also Skyrim had a gazillion dollar budget while this game kickstarted with 300000. Please put things in perspective. And yet...yes this game is way more compelling then Skyrim even with the static characters.I can't comment on the rest of the story as I'm only 7 days in, but comparing this to skyrim in terms of story is ridiculous. I think most of the dialogue goes over your head and it frustrates you, which is understandable as it is quite poetic and cryptic, but that doesn't mean nonsensical in the least.

[CementStairs]

Originally posted by Vettige Sven:

Originally posted by jgtogi:

The game isn't GOTY material. The survival mechanics are tedious, the storyline borderlines nonsensical and the living world really isn't all that dynamic. The player can't stop the plague early for example and really doesn't have to do anything until the last few days other than simply survive. The graphics are stuck in 2016 and the dialogue isn't fully voiced. Not to mention the random spikes in difficulty (combat gauntlet out of nowhere on day 10/11, food issues on day 7/10). The game is good but it is indie game and not really doing anything to define or create another genre.

How many times have you cured an infected person and they just stand there staring off into space. Jeez, a thank you would be nice at least. People just stand around not doing anything most of the day just waiting for the player to have the appropriate quest. This isn't 2019 RPG design at least in Skyrim people had routines. Just compare this to a game like Ghosts of Tsushima and enough said. Heck I would compare this to vanilla Skyrim and it still would fall short.

Skyrim? Stopping the plague early? THANK YOU'S? Please refrain from commenting if you don't get the game. And also Skyrim had a gazillion dollar budget while this game kickstarted with 300000. Please put things in perspective. And yet...yes this game is way more compelling then Skyrim even with the static characters.I can't comment on the rest of the story as I'm only 7 days in, but comparing this to skyrim in terms of story is ridiculous. I think most of the dialogue goes over your head and it frustrates you, which is understandable as it is quite poetic and cryptic, but that doesn't mean nonsensical in the least.

Hey, you get baited fairly easily. I don't want to say this person is trolling, because this is a matter of opinion, but there's a very high possibility he is, especially since he knows those specific strings(comparing to Skyrim - Hello Brendan) and talks about aspects that are strengths of Pathologic as disadvantages. But I won't call him a troll, because he would respond with "It's my opinion and you should respect that" while digging even deeper with the criticism to anger even more people resulting in a mindless argument and this thread being spammed into oblivion. That's why all we can say is that we really do respect his opinion, while we do not fully agree. I think he said what he had to say just like you did. Let's move on.

[Vettige Sven]

Originally posted by CementStairs:

Originally posted by Vettige Sven:

Skyrim? Stopping the plague early? THANK YOU'S? Please refrain from commenting if you don't get the game. And also Skyrim had a gazillion dollar budget while this game kickstarted with 300000. Please put things in perspective. And yet...yes this game is way more compelling then Skyrim even with the static characters.I can't comment on the rest of the story as I'm only 7 days in, but comparing this to skyrim in terms of story is ridiculous. I think most of the dialogue goes over your head and it frustrates you, which is understandable as it is quite poetic and cryptic, but that doesn't mean nonsensical in the least.

Hey, you get baited fairly easily. I don't want to say this person is trolling, because this is a matter of opinion, but there's a very high possibility he is, especially since he knows those specific strings(comparing to Skyrim - Hello Brendan) and talks about aspects that are strengths of Pathologic as disadvantages. But I won't call him a troll, because he would respond with "It's my opinion and you should respect that" while digging even deeper with the criticism to anger even more people resulting in a mindless argument and this thread being spammed into oblivion. That's why all we can say is that we really do respect his opinion, while we do not fully agree. I think he said what he had to say just like you did. Let's move on.

No worries I never react a second time to these things. And you're probably right.

[Jojo]

I absolutely loved this game but there is now way it has GOTY potential. Mostly because of how poorly optimised it is. And it doesn't have the kind of broad appeal that GOTY games require.

[[GND] Charcharo]

The game has won GOTY from smaller sites:

https://gnd-tech.com/2019/12/game-of-the-year-2019-awards/

The average large site cannot give niche games, no matter how good, an award. They need to give it to games with broader appeal or else they will anger publishers or gamers.

[Agent Orange]

It is not for a major audience, although it is a masterpiece. The major audience needs pathfinding etc., basically holding their hands all the time. And also here you will fail, so most people falter.