With GOTY discussions, we all make consessions for games and elevate games that might have objectively great aspects about it even if parts of it are boring as fuck, forced mini games or very cutscene heavy where the controller is taken away from you for long periods or whole sections of a game that are not fun at all (Ragnorok's atereus section) but the game overall feels like high art and we put it above all else but what about fun, just on that one aspect, what's the most purely fun time you've had with a game so far this year and does it match your GOTY pick?

Shadows of Erdtree

Souls game has something special. Every time I play one I can't help but start replaying all them again lol

Edlen Ring SOTE and Unicorn Overlord. VERY diferent games, but I just got lost playing them. So very enjoyable.

For new releases. Stellar Blade. Space Marine 2. Granblue Fantasy Relink. Shin Megami Tensei V-V. Gundam Breaker 4. Visions of Mana. FF7 Rebirth. Persona 3R. In that order.

For retro stuff. Gradius V. Burning Force. Mad Stalker Full Metal Force. Edge of Skyhigh. DoDonpachi Ressurection.

Stellar Blade is my GOTY and Space Marine 2 is just behind it.

Romancing SaGa 2 Revenge of the Seven.

It's basically the dream SNES RPG brought to modern standard with an unconventional free flow to its progression that isn't replicated by almost no other RPG around. Building your party, growing your Empire, fighting difficult battles. Another surprising banger release from Square that isn't Final Fantasy.

Space Marine 2, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, Age of Mythology: Retold, Star Wars Dark Forces, Helldivers 2, and Astro Bot was the most fun I've had all year. Although I have a good feeling S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and Indiana Jones will be added to my list

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is my current GOTY, but that may change by the end of December. 

My man. I've played few games fron this year but Stellar Blade takes it for me too, It would take some game to beat the amount of fun that game is. 

Same, the best thing about Erd Tree is it sent me on a soulsborne and Sekiro trip. Replayed Sekiro right up to NG+ 6. Erd Tree failed to wow me though, it was fun but replaying the base game on NG+ was more fun. 

I've gotta try Unicorn Overlord but it seems they are adverse to sales. 

Early in the year it was Palworld, then I was playing Factorio and now I am deep into Death Stranding. All three gave me great fun!

Flintlock:seige of Dawn.

Nice little 20 hour or so souls like/Lite. It's on Gamepass, would recommend.