1. Bioshock Infinite
2. The Last of Us
3. Tomb Raider

Though, honestly, all 3 were so good that I really don't like ranking them.

TR had multiplayer? huh...

TR multiplayer didn't make the awesome single player game any worse so no. This applies to Uncharted 2 as well.

This.

Tomb Raider easily. And also my game of the generation.

I'm very close to being in the same boat, and quite frankly, who the hell saw that coming?

Tomb Raider for me. Such an incredibly amazing game. As for being game of the generation, it would definitely be out of it and Red Dead Redemption so far.
To be fair, I haven't started Last of Us yet and have no interest in Bioshock.

Tomb Raider is the only contender. I would be (happily) surprised if a better game came out this year, period.

I'm genuinely curious -- what is it about Tomb Raider that makes it game of this generation? Name something other than "it's super fun!" (meaning the gameplay and controls).

I'm asking this as someone who had a blast with Tomb Raider and think it absolutely deserves consideration as GOTY. I just haven't seen this much love on any other video game site or forum, and I read a lot of them. My impression, even here, was that people were disappointed with the incredbly simple puzzles, and the predictable, cliched story and characterizations are certainly nothing to write home about.

I'd be very surprised if any major outlets or reviewers name it Game of the Year.

For me it's because Uncharted 2 was my favorite game of this generation despite the shitty gameplay. Tomb Raider fixed the gameplay despite having far less interesting characters and overall storyline. Similar settings and much like Uncharted it had perfect pacing.

So while Uncharted made for an excellent interactive movie, Tomb Raider took the concept and made it an actual excellent game.

There kinda' doesn't need to be another reason beyond "super fun!", which is what a lot of game developers are forgetting.

For example, Last of Us, while a great game, is not particularly fun, which is why I feel TR crushes it, as a game. As an "interactive experience" though, that's a different matter.

Lara's tank top.

For me it was a combination of everything. Great visuals, story kept me interested, cool side quests/hunting and leveling up system. The entire package was like an upgraded, better version of the Uncharted games, and those are pretty good games

As far as major gaming outlets naming it GOTY, you are probably correct. However, I don't think I have ever agreed with a GOTY choice before. I pretty much hate The Walking Dead game and everyone swears it's the best game ever...it's so boring and nearly impossible to make myself finish it (I'm finally on Episode 5 after a year). Same with Journey, that "game" sucked ass especially after playing through the excellent "Flower" twice.

It's the immersion. That and you feel like a bad ass without being ridiculously overpowered. TR was an experience while Bioshock relied on video game tropes that remind you at every turn that you're playing a game. It was the opposite of immersion.

I was at the edge of my seat through most of the game. I felt connected to Lara, and concerned with what happened to her and the other characters (even if they aren't the most original, as has been pointed out in the Bioshock thread). The gameplay was brilliantly balanced between open world and progressing the narrative, and the mechanics were spot on. It wasn't innovative, but it was the most refined third person adventure game I've ever played.

That is one thing I've noticed this gen, while the settings, storylines and graphics have all gotten better, very few games have actually focused on the actual gameplay. Tomb Raider took some great tried and true ideas and refined the hell out of them, sure the game structure had some flaws and the puzzles were easy, but for whatever reason the entire game controlled beautifully and was just tremendously satisfying.

Plus the pacing was almost perfect. You always knew why you were going through a certain part of a game, you always had a goal, and none of them meandered or lingered for excessive amounts of time.

Bewbs.

That's fine, I guess. There are a ton of other super fun games this generation if that's the only criterion, though. Minecraft and Angry Birds are super fun for a lot of people, but I don't think they're the best games of the past decade. I tend to look at the whole package, which is why I asked about the multiplayer earlier.

I look at the multiplayer as an optional bonus feature. I skip the multiplayer in most games.

I loved Tomb Raider. Haven't played Bioshock yet. And am only 30% through The Last of Us. I'll vote once I finish TLOU, but I could see it just edging out Tomb Raider.

TR : the best game you can play with only one hand.

This.

Refinement > Innovation

Tomb Raider may be game of the year, but game of the generation? No, just no. That award should go to Arkham Asylum. Before AA, superhero games were always mediocre at best. AA took the genre to a whole new level. The graphics, gameplay, story, atmosphere, voice acting, and everything were all top notch. You really did feel like you actually were Batman in that game.

I'm not saying refinement is always better than innovation, because I do love some innovative games like Okami. But in this case, the refinement worked perfectly.

And I would say TR is one of the best games of this gen. Arkham Asylum is another one, without question.

Fuck, this is tough.

Tombraider was a fantastic action/adventure game.

Bioshock Infinite had a spectacular story and atmosphere.

Last of Us also had fantastic story and atmosphere.

If I had to vote, with a gun to my head, I'd say Bioshock: Infinite just barely, followed by Last of Us and Tombraider.

Same here, I haven't played any of them yet. I haven't played probably any of the major games that have come out so far this year. I will get around to them eventually.