(2)Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 vs (15)Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors 2015

Ulti's Analysis
I shit on Persona's fanbase a lot for being among the most annoying fanbases in gaming (a fact that they're actually proud of, because heaven forbid anyone have the opinion that the games aren't that good), but part of my big face turn is getting more in tune with the hug-it-out stuff.

So with that being said, every fanbase should enjoy a contest win here and there, and Persona 4 has more than enough respect to pull wins off. This thing made round 3 in Game of the Decade and pulled off a great match against Dead Rising (though one wonders how impressive a nailbiter against literal Dead Rising is), and this year it got enough nominations to get a 2 seed. This bracket was set up well, and almost all of the top seeds won their first match. This was hardly Nathan Drake getting a 2 seed and getting stuck fighting The Boss.

I'm sure 999 is a fine game, but it didn't have a prayer here. Persona 4 is decently strong and all, but it's not 78% strong against anything but an absolute contest bottom-feeder. There aren't many games that I can objectively say should not have been in this bracket, but 999 is one of them. Where the hell was Sonic 3 & Knuckles? Mario 1? Zelda 1? Link Between Worlds? Link's Awakening? Final Fantasy 1? Contra? Mega Man 2? Street Fighter 2? Devil May Cry 3? Super Smash Bros. Brawl (yes, seriously, I objectively think Brawl not making this bracket and trying to redeem the Game of the Decade final is a joke)? Street Fighter 4? Super Smash Bros? Super Mario Kart? MOTHER FUCKING LEAGUE OF LEGENDS?????? God of War? Star Fox 64?

As a matter of fact, let's just list the games I objectively think should not have been in this bracket. I say objectively because while I would love certain games I personally hate not to make the bracket, I'm not silly enough to think they shouldn't be in. Any Best Game Ever contest should obviously have things like Shadow of the Colossus, for instance.

The "Why did these get in?" list:

Persona 3 The World Ends With You Pokemon XY Age of Empires 2 The Walking Dead Life is Strange Animal Crossing: New Leaf Mario Kart 8 999 Monster Hunter 4U Super Mario Maker Bloodborne Fallout New Vegas Splatoon Bayonetta 2 Virtue's Last Reward

That's 16 games we could easily get rid of, maybe more if I looked again. Some of those snubs are unforgivable, and it was all done to keep League out of the bracket. Allen did a great job with this contest, but not allowing League to get in was a mistake. You cannot prevent rallies from taking these contests over anymore. It's impossible. Just embrace it and tell the crybabies to buy a pacifier and sit with the rest of the children where they belong.