September 25, 2025 by Greg Noe
In 2013, the games industry unknowingly stood on a precipice. Fascism in the United States and around the world was on the rise, and it manifested in 2014 in the form of Gamergate. A whole bunch of online losers harassed developers, critics, writers, journalists, and more in the name of misogyny, racism, and fascism.
Many of these same losers are still around today, shouting into the void about feminists and trans people and when a woman is in a video game. Generating harassment campaigns against YouTubers and swatting streamers. There's no appeasing them, no amount of firing developers or writers will quench their thirst for more violence. This has been their strategy in the United States starting with Gamergate in 2014 and it continues until this very moment.
One of the games involved in the Gamergate groundswell was Gone Home, a 2013 indie game from The Fullbright Company. Called a “walking simulator (derogatory)” at the time, I will now call it a “walking simulator (affectionate)”. It carries LGBT themes, a female protagonist, and little traditional gameplay, so of course it was an easy target for junior fascists.
It was also the best game of 2013.
Read moreFebruary 13, 2016 by Greg Noe
Announcing my favorite games of 2015!
Read moreJanuary 3, 2013 by Greg Noe, Ian M. Bagley, Jonathan Ramundi, Mike in Omaha, Nate, Paul Abbamondi, Steve, Tyler Smith
Announcing the 2012 Game of the Year Awards from First Hour!
Day Four features Game of the Year and Most Anticipated for 2013 Awards! Plus shoutouts!
January 2, 2013 by Greg Noe, Ian M. Bagley, Jonathan Ramundi, Mike in Omaha, Nate, Paul Abbamondi, Steve, Tyler Smith
Announcing the 2012 Game of the Year Awards from First Hour!
Day Three features Game of the (Other) Year, PC Game, Console Game, and Portable/Mobile Game of the Year Awards!
Read moreJanuary 1, 2013 by Greg Noe, Jonathan Ramundi, Mike in Omaha, Nate, Paul Abbamondi, Steve, Tyler Smith
Announcing the 2012 Game of the Year Awards from First Hour!
Day Two features Guilty Pleasure, Best Surprise, Worst Surprise, and Shame of the Year Awards!
Read moreDecember 31, 2012 by Greg Noe, Jonathan Ramundi, Mike in Omaha, Nate, Paul Abbamondi, Steve, Tyler Smith
Announcing the 2012 Game of the Year Awards from First Hour!
Day One features First Hour, Worst Hour, False Hour, Most Hours of the Year Awards!
Read moreDecember 31, 2011 by Greg Noe, Ian M. Bagley, Mike in Omaha, Nate, Paul Abbamondi, Steve
Announcing the 2011 Game of the Year Awards from First Hour!
These aren't your normal awards, we cover everything from older game of the year to worst first hour. We also don't sum up votes on categories or anything either, we simply present each writer's thoughts on their pick, so if you don't like something, you know exactly who to blame! Of course, we do all this just for fun (spare time!) and buy all of our own games (real money!), so most of us don't even touch some of the big releases of the year. Woe to the unpaid game critic!
Read moreDecember 31, 2010 by Greg Noe, Jonathan Ramundi, Nate, Steve
Announcing the 2010 Game of the Year Awards from the First Hour! We published over 60 full reviews this year, tripling our output from last year. Of course, our writing staff has grown quite a bit also. I personally beat 30 games, undoubtedly making 2010 my most productive video gaming year ever. We also played over 55 first hours, keeping up a steady pace of one a week. We have not been lacking for great games or content this year.
This isn't your normal Game of the Year awards, we cover everything from older game of the year to worst first hour, so keep scrolling all the way to the bottom! If anything, our game of the year picks are the least interesting decisions. The writers here also don't vote on the categories, instead, everyone is welcome to submit their picks as their own definitive decision.
Read moreDecember 30, 2009 by Greg Noe, Mike in Omaha, Paul Eastwood, Steve
Announcing the 2009 Game of the Year Awards from the First Hour! We wrote 21 full reviews this year, check out which ones are named the Game of the Year, Older Game of the Year, and a few others!
December 31, 2008 by Greg Noe
Announcing the 2008 Game of the Year Awards from the First Hour! I beat 16 games this year, check out which ones are named the Game of the Year, Older Game of the Year, and a few others! New this year are the Worst Games of the Year.
December 31, 2007 by Greg Noe
Announcing the 2007 Game of the Year Awards from The First Hour!
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