1. The Last of Us ; Better narrative then World War Z. Or any movie I've seen this year.


2. BioShock: Infinite ; Draws you in right away with how captivating the world is. Starts and ends with amazing moments.


3. Beyond: Two Souls ; Great game. Wonderfully unique experience. I hope some of the mixed reviews do not mess up the chances of them making more games. You can nit pick certain aspects of the game. Like consistency in the story, but they made something special here


4. Farcry 3: Bood Dragon ; Hilarious retro themed DLC. I didn't put it down till I finished. Genuine laughs through out.


5. Metro: Last light ; Loved this world. Succeeds on creating a better post-apocalyptic environment then any other game I've played (ie. fallout)


6. Tomb Raider ; One hell of a gritty reboot. If it went any farther it could have been survival horror.


7. Heart of the Swarm ; You won't find a more polished RTS experience than Starcraft II. The campaign is genuine Blizzard epicness.


8. Zelda: A link between worlds ; Best zelda in a long time. It's refreshing to play something lightheated. Smartly designed.


9. Assassin's Creed VI: Black Flag ; It's shocking how much more fun this game turned out then AC3.


10. DmC Devil May Cry ; Great Presentation. Don't understand the backlash because the game is a little different. It's a fantastic game. The character action genre hasn't been this stylish or crazy in a good long while


x God of War: Ascension ; Had great moments but felt a bit rushed. Due too a sound bug I played the game with seemingly no music.

x Crysis 3 ; Felt very short but was fun while it lasted. Few FPSes give you as many options in-battle as this.

x Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ;

x Dead Space 3 ; Started out great but lost steam halfway through. I think Co-op affected the singleplayer design too much.

x Fire Emblem Awakening ; Still need to play more. Great so far.


2012. Planetside 2 ; I put 130 hours into this game. It's almost like the sequel to Battlefield 2142 that I had been wanting. I almost feel they give you too much for a f2p game. You really don't need to spend anything.

Minion101 said:

The Last of Us - Better narrative then World War Z. Or any movie I've seen this year.

BioShock: Infinite - Draws you in right away with how captivating the world is. Starts and ends with amazing moments.

Beyond: Two Souls - Great game. Wonderfully unique experience. I hope some of the mixed reviews do not mess up the chances of them making more games. You can nit pick certain aspects of the game. Like consistency in the story, but they made something special here

Farcry 3: Bood Dragon - Hilarious retro themed DLC. I didn't put it down till I finished. Genuine laughs through out.

Metro: Last light - Loved this world. Succeeds on creating a better post-apocalyptic environment then any other game I've played (ie. fallout)

Tomb Raider - One hell of a gritty reboot. If it went any farther it could have been survival horror.

Zelda: A link between worlds - Best zelda in a long time. It's refreshing to play something lightheated. Smartly designed.

Assassin's Creed VI: Black Flag - It's shocking how much more fun this game turned out then AC3.

DmC Devil May Cry - Great Presentation. Don't understand the backlash because the game is a little different. It's a fantastic game. The character action genre hasn't been this stylish or crazy in a good long while

God of War: Ascension - Had great moments but felt a bit rushed. Due too a sound bug I played the game with seemingly no music.

Crysis 3 - Felt very short but was fun while it lasted. Few FPSes give you as many options in-battle as this.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Dead Space 3 - Started out great but lost steam halfway through. I think Co-op affected the singleplayer design too much.

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Noticed the "READ THE RULES" in the topic title?

Horp said:

Noticed the "READ THE RULES" in the topic title?

Click to expand...

I know. I copy pasted straight out of my notepad file. Still editing it thanks.

1. GTA V (PS3) ; Most fun I've had in a GTA since Vice City. Great story with some of the best missions ever in an open world game.
2. The Last of Us (PS3) ; Atmosphere like no other. Amazing characters and story that fully invested me in getting them through the hell hole of a world.
3. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (PS4) ; AC back on track! Pirate theme is great and countless hours of diversions on offer. Forced stealth every other mission is the only let down.
4. Total War: ROME II (PC) ; Bugged to hell on release but patched up this is up there with the best TW's.
5. Splinter Cell: Blacklist (PC) ; Biggest surprise for me here. Play how you want taken to a new level.
6. Batman: Arkham Origins (PC) ; Enjoyed the story in this more than the other two in the series. Empty feeling world means it ranks lower than them but a very solid entry.
7. DmC (PC) ; Loved the combat in this. Graphics on PC are awesome and smooth as butter. Doesn't deserve the hate.
8. Injustice: Gods Among Us (PS3 & PC) ; Much better than MK. Great, if a little to short story and tons of content.
9. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Ultimate Edition (PC) ; One of the few games I couldn't play on console due to frame rate, that's fixed on PC. So glad I re-invested!
10. Tomb Raider (PC) ; Pretty and fun reboot. Good, slight silly story. Fairly mindless but enjoyed it from start to finish so just edges MGR:R for me.

I've only played a handful of games released this year. Out of those, I think that only one game is worthy to get points in the vote.

1. Do-Don-Pachi Saidaioujou ; Highly intense stages, non-stop bullet hell action, deep mechanics and skill demanding boss battles along with several different modes and varying difficulties make this a complete package of brutally challenging arcade fun that can't be put aside for years.

1. Dota 2; Every year I've been a member on GAF, I've completed my full list of 10 games and a handful of honorable mentions. This year, I haven't even played 10 new releases. There's only one game I have to "blame" for this. A game I have been waiting 2 years to finally put on my list. With over 1600 hours of played time recorded in Steam, Dota 2 is the one game I have played the most over my entire gaming lifetime. I can leave it for a month, and come back to it just as addicted and just as fueled to win as when I left it. I've never spent as much money on what is supposedly a "free to play" game. Far more than the usual $60 price tag. I used to laugh at the notion of eSports, but what Valve has done with the competitive scene has got me hooked to watching Dota 2 competitively on a regular basis. Now I check match results daily, the same way I do with the various "real" sports I watch. What Valve has done with Dota is nothing short of amazing. Coming from a simple WarCraft 3 mod, they've evolved the game in so many ways, with the same love and care that you'd expect from a Valve game. Dota 2 is not just my 2013 Game of the Year, I can confidently say that it is my favorite game of all-time.

1. The Last of Us ; We know it's gonna win. We all do. And we also all know that it'll deserve every pinch of it's victory. It's taken years, many years, but i'm finally sold on Gaming As Experiences.
2. Civilization V: Brave New World ; I had my doubts, but i can now safely say this is the best game in Civilization's history, which, make no mistake, is a VERY tall order.
3. Solforge ; Online CCGs, usually, lack sorely in mechanics. And polish, or clever microtransaction policies, can't change that. Solforge is the first online CCG i have the pleasure to say has good mechanics. And i'm rocking nearly 1000h on it!
4. FINAL FANTASY X|V: A REALM REBORN ; A miracle happened here. It deserves the spot, if nothing else for the greatest soundtrack of all time.
5. Starcraft 2: Heart of the swarm ; Just when i thought i was done with RTSs.. gee, thanks blizzard.
6. The Stanley Parable ; Pure, unadulterated genius.
7. XCOM: Enemy Within ; ALL BOW TO THE MIGHTY X-COM.
8.. Dota 2 ; LoL is still better, but sorely needed concorrence. And, it's DotA. DotA is the greatest game innovation of the last decade, and it's finally gaining the respect it all along deserved.

1. Dota 2 ; It is the best game.

1. GTA V ; Vast world, incredibly detailed for such aged hardware. Soundtrack, voice acting, lighting all amazing. In a world with annual Ass Creeds and Cods it really shows when a game has had a long development time. Tiny insignificant things like the GPS in the cars turning off when you drive through tunnels. That doesn’t contribute anything to the gameplay, yet is a cool little touch, something you wouldn’t find in churned out titles.

2. Bioshock Infinite ; Atmosphere out the fucking balls. I think everyone’s favourite part of Infinite has to be the opening hour or so, the lighthouse, the rocket you take up to Columbia, the church and baptism and then finally the city itself. The colours! You get totally absorbed. It’s let down by the standard fare shooter gameplay in the end, but the story and world make it more than worthwhile.

3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; A refreshing Zelda title! One that shows Nintendo has finally listened to the complaints about hand-holding. There are far less tutorials, you can skip through text as fast as you want, it doesn’t force you to read the description of each item you pick up even if you already have 100 of them, like in Skyward Sword. And then there’s the way items work with the renting system. It’s not perfect, but it’s different enough to liven up the Zelda formula. I was reminded of Dark Souls: when I died I actually felt like I’d lost something tangible, I can’t remember the last time that happened in a Zelda game. Usually I’m not one for non-linearity, but I really took a shine to it in this game.

4. Super Mario 3D World ; What a game. Bombastic, exploding with colour and overflowing with ideas. It seems at times as if certain ideas aren’t given enough time to be explored before we’re moving on to the next one. I also really like the Miiverse integration as well. Sometimes it’s funny, other times it’s genuinely helpful. Of course it’s more Mario, but this game had me grinning from start to finish.

5. Metro: Last Light ; A linear shooter set in an eastern European post-apocalypse, with vehicle sections that have little side passages with ammo and secret things to stumble upon? This is the closest we’ve gotten to a Half-Life game since Episode 2.
Add on top of that it has phenomenal graphics, that actually pushed modern PCs, the much improved monster encounters and all the (relatively) unique weaponry, and you have a solid, absorbing, very pretty, shooter.

6. Pikmin 3 ; Amazing looking game for Wii U tech. Once again, the colours! The game itself is clever and reveals itself gradually in that delightful Nintendo way. I never really got into the first two Pikmin games and bought this just because there was literally nothing else to play, but it’s a fantastic game.

7. Outlast ; The first-person horror game that Machine for Pigs should have been. Whereas MfP didn’t do anything new and in fact backtracked in few areas (no resource gathering for the lamp, no insanity effects), Outlast does new things with the genre. The nightvision effect is disturbingly realistic. Nowhere near as scary as the original Amnesia because, like Dead Space, you quickly learn when to expect a jump. There were some quite boldly disturbing scenes however.

8. Rome II: Total War ; Despite the incredibly rough launch, this game looks incredible and Rome is a great period of history to wage war in. The cinematic camera, while a purely visual addition, is amazing for the battle scenes. It allows you to look over the shoulder of your troops. You can hear them call out to each other, the clink of their armour, you can even hear sneezes.

9. Papers Please ; This game is like that elderly guy in the corner of the pub. Aesthetically he’s old as balls, but damn does he tell a good story.

10. Tomb Raider ; I played this Uncharted clone before I played any of the Uncharted games. So I was pretty impressed. I loved the way the ‘levels’ were done in this game, the island felt like a cohesive landscape, the combat and so on felt good and the collectibles were actually fun to collect!

1. Dota 2 ; It is a very good game. Certainly my most played this year.

2. Bioshock Infinite ; As a game it was kind of meh. As an experience it was breathtaking at times. It's stayed with me more than it has any right to do.

3. The Last of Us ; I don't share the blanket adoration for its systems that it seems to be getting everywhere. If fails, for me, on several levels with its mechanics but, like Bioshock, it has stuck with me due to its incredible production values and excellent writing and performances.

4. Saints Row IV ; Not as good as 3 by a rather large margin but still fun and charming and incredibly clever in its writing.

5. Tomb Raider ; Yeah it really is everything that is wrong with modern gaming in one package but damn if it's not a really great ride while it lasts.

This year has been just utterly unremarkable, game wise, for me. Usually I seem to have trouble compiling GotY lists but this year I struggled to come up with even 3 games, let alone 5. I couldn't come up with 10.

Marauder Shields said:

Ugh if it wasn't for Dota 2 I'd probably have been able to list 10 games. Thanks Valve.

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Seems I am not alone.

1. The Last Of Us ; This was the easiest Game Of The Year I think I've ever chosen. For me it's far and away the best game of 2013. It looked amazing, it played great, and the presentation was unbelievable. The story stuck with me long after I was done playing.

2. Bioshock Infinite ; On my first play-through of this game, I found the combat lacking, and because of that I lost interest. I went back to revisit Infinite recently and was able to get past the things I didn't enjoy about the combat, and just take it all in. I started fresh, back at the beginning and did not stop playing until the credits rolled. It kept me riveted to the screen the entire time and I did not expect the turn the story would take. In the end, I have to put this near the top of my list. Better late than never, this was one of the best games of 2013. Any game that sucks me in enough that all time and space melts away, I know that it's something special.

3. Assassin's Creed 4 : Black Flag ; I have never been a fan of this series, but I took a chance on AC4 and it delivered. It's just a lot of fun. Probably the most "fun" game I played all year. And it looks amazing. I was even able to turn another non-fan of the series into a believer, so I know it's not just me.

4. Gran Turismo 6 ; A return to form for the series. Though it looks and feels a lot like GT5, there were improvements across the board. It made a perfect handling model even better and they stepped up the presentation and they improved the awful UI of GT5. Just a stunning game.

5. Grand Theft Auto V ; While I despised every character in this game, there's no denying Rockstar put together an impressive title together here. An amazing feat for last generation consoles. I returned to Los Santos recently, and Rockstar put together such a detailed game for an open world, you have to be impressed.

6. Final fantasy XIV : A Realm Reborn ; I don't normally play MMO's but this was very well done. This is the only MMO I've ever played that had a meaningful story. A very unexpected surprise.

7. Fire Emblem Awakening ; Another outstanding game that resides in a genre I don't usually enjoy. This was just an all around well put together game that made me a believer. Outstanding.

8. Animal Crossing : New Leaf ; Nintendo managed to make another Animal Crossing that was still fun to play. Improvements all around, though I'd like to see them push the series even further.

9. Beyond Two Souls ; A flawed, but riveting game. The amazing visuals alone vault this into the top ten.

10. Tomb Raider ; TR was a mixed bag for me. While I appreciated some of the memorable action scenes (ala Uncharted), I felt like it went on a little too long. After finally completing this game, I have to redact some of my original comments. This is not a great game, it is merely good. There's fun to be had, but you have to wade through and suffer through a shit load of mediocre. Barely remains in my top ten, but there you are.


edit: Had to make a few adjustments, and add a few new comments.

I'll take you where you've never been: Oxnard
Then make you suck a bulls' nut: ox nard
If Miss Moore married Josh: Demi Brolin
A comma and a fucking dot: semicolon


is there no list of 2013 games in the OP or did I miss something? I don't think I can vote without a list
e: nm found it

This year has been tough and I haven't had the time to play a lot of incredible-looking games. I don't have a Wii U and so haven't played Super Mario 3D World which looks amazing, and I also haven't even played The Last Of Us yet. Hopefully next year I'll have the chance to play more big games. I own Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Fire Emblem: Awakening but haven't even had time to play them yet. I want to vote but really shouldn't. I see that voting ends on January 18th, and my Christmas break begins now, so I'll finally have more time to play, and will hopefully vote before deadline

1. The Last of Us ; While the gameplay had some faults (it’s Naughty Dog, nothing new this gen), especially on the AI side, the rest was outstanding.

2. Pokémon Y ; Playtime over 50h after 1 week, I didn’t even know that pkmn can be so addictive, but the last I finished was also the 3rd generation 10 years ago. Glad that my love for this franchise was rejuvenated.

3. Bravely Default ; I like JRPGs and I especially like Final Fantasy and the only thing where Bravely Default isn’t Final Fantasy is the name. The story itself is pretty generic and can be dull at times, but it helps that the characters, even if they are stereotypical, are extremely entertaining. I don’t think that someone could like them if he dislikes anime (I like anime), but damn.. Ringabel and Edea are my second favorite pair of the year, right after Joel and Ellie of course. The job system is superb and even if I dislike grinding, I did it here, because it’s motivating to learn and combine the different skills. Ahh yeah the soundtrack... nothing to say here, it’s Final Fantasy after all, of course it’s great.

4. Bioshock Infinite ; Replayed it last weekend and liked it more than the first time. I don’t even know why. Was it the higher difficulty or because I used a collectibles guide, which automatically led me to see more of the world? I don’t often play FPS, so the subpar game mechanics didn’t bothered me that much. All in all a nice experience, my personal Nr.1 when it comes to the world design, Columbia is amazing.

5. Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm ; Solid RTS, campaign a bit too short and easy and the writing is … uff, but I had a fun time playing it, so it’s ok.

6. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch ; Amazing cel-shaded graphics, a legend like Joe Hisaishi responsible for the soundtrack, but dat battle system… I don’t hate it, but I also don’t like it. There are some nice moments here and there within the story, but nothing great. The audiovisual part carries the whole game and I am absolutely OK with this.

1. Fire Emblem: Awakening ; I haven't played a Fire Emblem game before, and not a big RPG fan, but boy did i enjoy this game. Just everything about this was so good. The characters relationships, the story, the combat, graphics, just everything. A nice surprise for me.
2. Splinter Cell: Blacklist ; I hadn't played a Splinter Cell before either, but this was so good. A nice length of game, and the story was pretty decent. Loved the flexibility of the game too. Bought it for the Multiplayer but stayed for the Campaign.
3. Luigi's Mansion 2 ; Waiting for this was totally worth it. The level structure was great and the game was generally hilarious. Loved the new mechanics and 3D was actually useful too. It's sales have been well deserved. Very happy for the developers.
4. Lego City Undercover ; This is the sole reason i bought a Wii U and i wasn't disappointed. Took 50 hours to 100% and i loved every second. Shame we will never see a sequel.
5. Super Mario 3D World ; Didn't enjoy it as much as i thought i would, but that's no slight on the game as i think i'm suffering Mario fatigue, in this, the year of Luigi. Some great level design, and the new music and power-ups are great.
6. Steamworld Dig ; Picked it up because of word of mouth, and loved it. Well deserved for it's accolades. The game is so clean and felt fresh despite being an older concept.
7. Pikmin 3 ; Never really enjoyed the first two but enjoyed this quite a bit and 100%'d it too. Not sure whether that's due to the game or whether it was the first Wii U game in months.


x. W101 ; Honorable Mention goes out to this becaus i'm sure it's great but i just haven't got into yet. Done about three missions.
x. WWHD ; First time playing Wind Waker and i left disappointed. Game was reasonably short story wise and i just didn't connect with it. Visually fantastic though.

2012. Asura's Wrath ; One of my favorite games ever. Deep storyline, engaging combat system, graphically superb and it just makes you feel epic. can't praise it enough. And the true ending.

1. Grand Theft Auto V ; The culmination of all the very best things about the GTA games in one package. How this was pulled off on current gen consoles I'll never know.
2. Bioshock Inifine ; A toss up between this and TLOU, but Infinite for me was the absolute epitome of resonant story telling. The final twists were impeccably done again.
3. The Last of Us ; Naughty Dog's wonderful refinement on what makes their games so enjoyable and engaging - great performances, incredible visuals and some wonderfully touching character moments.
4. Resogun ; Undiluted, beautifully frenetic fun. Arcade gaming brought into the next generation and my absolute favourite PS4 game so far.

Haven't really played much this year or at least, much that I've enjoyed.

Minion101 said:

I know. I copy pasted straight out of my notepad file. Still editing it thanks.

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Ok sorry, that makes sense. Just so annoying to see so many people straight up ignoring the rules in these kinds of threads. You obviously aren't one of them however.

Hope I can finish Bravely Default before the deadline. I have a feeling it'll be my GOTY.

Up to 10 games but no minimum? Hm.

timetokill said:

"But I want to make my ballot look beautiful!"
You can! Images are totally allowed within the confines of the ballot formatting rules. For examples, take a look at a random sampling of beautiful ballots from last year's voting thread: zyklon, megalowho, TheVisualizer, Haunted, Lissarne

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<3


Shame about no Hearthstone, forces me to edit my list. Long deadline this year, so I'll use the time to mull over things, maybe catch up on one or two titles I've missed. Thanks for taking the time to organise this timetokill/Cheese, as usual!

parasight said:

1. Dota 2; Every year I've been a member on GAF, I've completed my full list of 10 games and a handful of honorable mentions. This year, I haven't even played 10 new releases. There's only one game I have to "blame" for this. A game I have been waiting 2 years to finally put on my list. With over 1600 hours of played time recorded in Steam, Dota 2 is the one game I have played the most over my entire gaming lifetime. I can leave it for a month, and come back to it just as addicted and just as fueled to win as when I left it. I've never spent as much money on what is supposedly a "free to play" game. Far more than the usual $60 price tag. I used to laugh at the notion of eSports, but what Valve has done with the competitive scene has got me hooked to watching Dota 2 competitively on a regular basis. Now I check match results daily, the same way I do with the various "real" sports I watch. What Valve has done with Dota is nothing short of amazing. Coming from a simple WarCraft 3 mod, they've evolved the game in so many ways, with the same love and care that you'd expect from a Valve game. Dota 2 is not just my 2013 Game of the Year, I can confidently say that it is my favorite game of all-time.

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Beautiful. With love letters like this, I can stomach seeing only one game listed.

I have completed 42 games this year, and started countless more, however, since my gaming taste and time is pretty heavily skewed towards older games and gaming-sensibilities, that is also what this list will be influenced by. No cinematic cover-based shooter here! Anyways, if the list had been best game I have played this year, and not best game released this year, the winner would have been Demon's Souls for the PS3. The first game that felt like someone finally mastered how to make a true Zelda 2 or Nes-style Castlevania action-plattformer in 3D. Amazingly good, and also better than the best on this list. With that said, from the games released this year, there are really three that stands out above all the rest in my opinion, after that, it goes from game of the generation-material, to simply great. Anyways, time to do this:


1. Super Mario 3D World ; The best plattformer since Super Mario Galaxy, and my favorite game of the year. Was pretty down on it after E3, but when I finally got to play it myself, it quickly became apparent that EAD had done it again. The creativity in the level design, the control, and the challenge is all top notch, and the fact that there are for free in this day of dlc and in-game purchasing is just the icing of the cake. Fantastic game, and it makes me sad how few people get to play this game thanks to the terrible sales of the Wii U. Incredible.


2. Europa Universalis IV ; A grand-strategy game about conquest, diplomacy, trade, colonization and more, this will be my go-to strategy game for years to come. The beauty of the series is that it is actually really easy to play, but still very complex, and while there are tons of sub-systems, you can be fine by spending most of your efforts for example in warfare. And the multiplayer this game offers is probably the best multiplayer experiene ever designed, so incredibly deep and fun. I actually think this game is even better than Mario, and I have already, and will definitely, spend more time with this. However, as good as Europa Universalis IV is, it is still very much alike Europa Universalis III, which puts it down to second spot. Everlasting.


3. Rogue Legacy ; This game conquered my summer with its incredibly deep and rewarding gameplay. Not really a rogue-like since you get to keep whatever gold you amass on each session, the genius in this lies in the random dungeon design and feel of progression as you slowly level up your lineage and gets deeper into the castle. Like an indefinite Metroidvania, and something that should be experienced by everyone. Captivating.


4. Guacamelee ; I just played this recently after seeing it on a ton of goty-lists, and man did it delivered. The metroidvania-style exploration is great, and the combo-system is also very fun, but what really sets this game apart, is its fantastic mexican flair. The graphics, music and level design are all really cool, and they awoke feelings of the awesome Grim Fandango for me. And all the nods to other games were all extremely clever and nicely done. Fantastic game that I hope gets a bigger audience now that it is also on PC. Atmospheric.


5. Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D ; One of the best plattformers of last generation and possibly forever, became even better on the 3DS thanks to getting rid of the shake to roll-mechanic. And with Nintendo in panic mode, the sequel is set to be even crankier! Inventive.


6. DuckTales: Remastered ; I actually didnt like this remake too much, but the original game is still so fantastic, that this game needs to be on the list, purely on the strenght of its source-material. Employing an innovative pogo-stick mechanic and Mega Man-style level select, this game stood out from the crowd on the Nes, and still plays much better than the overhyped presentation-based plattformers of today. Oh, and there is an extra level here which is great - now lets hope Capcom use that as a foundation for DuckTales 3 with all new levels and mechanics! Hope-inducing.


7. Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Tranformed ; This game is better than every Mario Kart I have ever played. The fan-service, the way the levels transforms, the freaking AFTER BURNER-stage. This game has it all. Too bad the console-versions doesnt really support multiplayer of more than two. Satisfying.


8. Luigi's Mansion 2 ; While the original was a major disappointment when it shipped with launch Gamecubes, lacking in complex gameplay and being beaten in an evening, this game actually have a ton of great puzzles and battles in a diverse set of mansions, making it a huge upgrade and an awesome game in its own right. The control scheme is a bit odd to be sure, but when you get the hang of it, its a joy to play. And Professor E Gadd and his voice is of course reason enough to keep playing the game. Hilarious.


9. Legend of Zelda: A Link between Worlds ; As a huge Zelda-fan - having beaten every game in the series - this was my most anticipated game for this year, and it honestly didnt quite live up to my hype. The wall-mechanic was great and made for some really fun puzzles, and the renting-system was definitely interesting, but, in my opinion, a failure for two reasons. Firstly, it made dungeon design restriced and ultimately easier, and secondly, since there was no real risk involved in renting stuff, it made rupees even less useful than in recent Zelda-games. With that said, the core game here is incredibly good and much fun, but it is a failure of design when a game makes you want to play another one so badly as this made me want to play the far superiour A Link to the Past. A better game than most stuff that gets released every year, but coming from the heights of the Zelda-series, it was, ultimately, a letdown. Clever.


10. Wonderful 101 ; I still havent completed this game, so its place might bump later, but from what I have played, it is an increidbly deep and satisfying action-game with amazing set-pieces and ridiculous storyline. The control-scheme is difficult to master, and this game doesnt hold any hands, which makes this the perfect game for all those irritated by modern game-design. Inspiring.

x. Brothers: A Tale of two sons ; Looks great, and I like the innovative controls. The story is also really good imo.
x. The Cave ; Interesting concept from Ron Gilbert, but while the game is fun, the humour fell completely flat to me, again reinforcing my suspicion that it was actually Schafer and Grossman that was responsible for the awesome stuff in Monkey Island
x. DOTA 2 ; Played this a lot in beta on lan-parties, and it deserves a mention for being such a deep game, however, havent really played it after the release.
x. Dragon's Crown ; Looks seriously awesome, but haven't got around to buy it yet. I am sure it would be a contender had I played it.
x. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen ; One of the best rpg's of recent years made even better.
x. Fire Emblem: Awakening ; Just started this, and while it looks amazing, I probably wont be able to complete it before voting ends.
x. Gone Home ; Interesting game or experience, with a decent story, but ultimately not gamey enough for my liking. Nice that not all video game stories have to revolve around saving the world to be worthwhile.
x. Gunpoint ; Pretty great game that feels a lot like last years Mark of the Ninja. A bit too short, easy and limited to be on the list proper though.
x. Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD ; The weakest 3D Zelda is still one of the best games ever, and now even better on the Wii U.
x. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate ; Awesome game, but played this a lot already in its prior incarnation. In itself one of the best games of the year though.
x. NES Remix ;Fantastic game that I guess will go underrated here and everywhere else. This game just proves how awesome old-school level design is, and I seriously hope they make more of it. Unfortunately, the selection of games is a bit to weak for it to get on the list proper.
x. New Super Luigi U ; Havent played it yet, but loving New Super Mario Bros. U, I know I will love this as well.
x. Pikmin 3 ; Fantastic game that I only had limited time with. Knowing how much I love the old games, this would probably be on this list had I played it more.
x. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies ; My favorite series on the DS returns, unfortunately havent completed this either.
x. Rayman Legends ; This is a good and fun game. Unfortunately, it relies more on presentation than on gameplay, putting it down here and not on the list proper. Still a great game well worth playing though.
x. The Stanley Parable ; In my registry, will hopefully play before voting ends, and might end up on the list.
x. Street Pass-games ; I really like these games, especially the mystery house, conquest and shooter-games, making this at least worth a mention.
x. Tearaway ; Looks fantastic and I would definitely prioritized playing this if I owned a Vita.
x. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist ; One of my favorite series, but another game that is unfortunately still unopened.
x. Volgarr The Viking ; Hard as hell, but really good trowback to old plattformers like Ghost & Ghoublins and Castlevania.

2012. FTL ; This game is crack. Pure crack. A strategy rogue-like that is one of the most unique games I have played in years. And that is done almost without visuals! Magic.

I'm not gonna bother listing games I haven't played yet, for obvious reasons, so if you're wondering where all the games other people are picking are, they're there:


1. BioShock Infinite ; I know a lot of people have soured on it since released, and I slightly have too, but Infinite is still, as a whole, one of my most memorable gaming experiences of the generation. It has some noticeable flaws, but the art, world building and narrative in particular is leaps and bounds ahead of any other game this year. I actually enjoyed the combat, too.


2. The Stanley Parable ; I loved it when it was in mod form, and I love it even more now - immensely funny, thought provoking and well designed. The attention to detail in how the narrator reacted to what you were doing completely made that game.


3. Papers Please ; A polar opposite in tone from The Stanley Parable but just as thought provoking. A wonderfully oppressive atmosphere, a completely unique and engaging gameplay hook and some fascinating moral decisions along the way to an ending which branches fantastically based on your choices.


4. Assassin's Creed IV ; A lovely return to form from the almost universally disliked AC3 - so much more mechanically sound, entertaining and chaotic than its predecessor, with AC3's great sailing mechanics transferred into a massive open world and, let's be honest, a much better game overall.


5. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons ; I wasn't quite as blown away by the ending sequence as I get the impression others where, but regardless an incredibly charming, beautiful and heart warming fairy tale of a game, with a clever if slightly underused gameplay hook to boot.


6. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon ; Its humour doesn't always hit, but when it does, it's probably the funniest game this year. A very likeable love letter to 80's action with a fantastic sense of character and style to it, and thanks to Far Cry 3, mechanically sound as well. Here's for a standalone series, Ubisoft.


7. Civilization V: Brave New World ; With this addition, Civ 5 is almost certainly the best out of all the series now, allowing you to jump back in and suddenly find yourself still awake at 6am without being put off by the shortcomings and stripped down nature of the vanilla game. JUST ONE MORE TURN I PROMISE!


8. The Swapper ; Another atmospheric thought provoking puzzle-platformer with a unique gameplay hook, but a really, really good one at that. I found myself slightly frustrated by the nature of the later puzzles, but overall it used its mechanics in an incredibly clever fashion and didn't overstay its welcome at all.


9. Metro: Last Light ; I'm still undecided over whether prefer it to its prequel or not, but regardless an incredibly atmospheric, fairly scary shooter that retains most, if not all, of the weird, overly-complex mechanical charm of 2033 and wraps it around a much more solid shooter this time.


10. Gunpoint ; Very fun little stealth-puzzle game, with entertaining mechanics allowing for some nice sandbox-y, emergent silliness. A really good amount of content, too.


x. Just Cause 2 Multiplayer ; I decided against putting this in my list since the game kinda came out in 2010, but regardless, between all the beta tests and the release in the last week, this was probably the most pure fun I've had playing a video game all year. Utterly broken and ridiculous in the most marvelous of fashions.


2012. Hotline Miami ; You could count it as a 2013 game, but the version I played released in 2012, so I'm not going to. But it's AWESOME. Seriously, go play Hotline Miami any way you can, it's just fantastic. Probably would have been my 2012 GOTY if I'd played it then.

1. Grand Theft Auto V ; I never really liked the previous entries, but this game...I just couldn't stop thinking about it. So much fun.

2. XCOM: Enemy Within ; one of my favourite games from the last couple of years plus tons of new content. I just can't stop playing it.

3. Killer is Dead ; it has some flaws, but had a lot of fun playing it. Also, loved the characters and the story. Loved the artstyle, OST...everything (except for the fucking camera).

4. Bioshock Infinite ; loved the setting, story, characters, OST...and that ending. Great game that people tend to hate because they think the first Bioshock is a better game. It's not.


Not much left for me. I played a lot more games, but most of them were from the past couple of years, and the other ones from 2013 didn't make the cut. So yeah, that's it.

I think this is the first year in a while where I've played more than 10 games.

I'll probably sort out the rest of the list later, but for now:

1. Papers, Please

1. The Last of Us ; Beautiful, well-presented, tense gameplay, awesome MP. Hands down the best I've played this year.
2. Bioshock Infinite ; Loved the ending, setting and presentation. Despite some gameplay problems, it was one of my favourite experiences this year.
3. Assassin's Creed IV - Black Flag ; Fun - a ton of fun, huge open world, cool stealth mechanics, huge improvement over AC3.
4. Killzone - Shadow Fall ; Awesome graphics, fun MP, cool ending. I honestly don't understand the flak this game gets, as I thoroughly enjoyed it.
5. Batman - Arkham Origins ; a step back from City imo, but good nonetheless.

x. Knack ; had a lot of fun playing this in co-op.
x. Splinter Cell - Blacklist ; did not finish, but enjoyed what I played of it.

2012. Borderlands 2 ; only got this recently after playing the first one, and it's a lot of fun.

Don't think I played many other 2013 titles this year.

1. The Swapper ; Atmospheric, unique and intelligent. It's a title that somehow successfully simultaneously balances philosophical questions with gameplay mechanics and thus deserves top-spot for that alone.
2. Bioshock : Infinite ;
3. Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons ;
4. Europa Universalis IV ;
5. Dota 2 ;
6. Race the Sun ;
7. Gone Home ;
8. BIT.TRIP Presents... Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien ;
9. Papo & Yo ;
10. DmC: Devil May Cry ;

2012. Super Hexagon ;

x. The Last of Us ;
x. Tomb Raider ;

1. Fire Emblem Awakening ; My second FE game (Path of Radiance being my first), absolutely lovely game
2. Civilization V: Brave New World ; I've been playing multiplayer on and off ever since Civ V was released so naturally this ranks pretty high for me
3. Pokémon X/Y ; earning each badge and defeating the Top 4 was a very enjoyable experience
4. The Cave ; A few questionable design decisions, but I liked it enough to complete the game with every ending for every character. Great atmosphere
5. Magic 2014 ; Like with every new Duels of the Planewalkers I put in over a 100 hours into this game. I'm a sucker for card games
6. Rogue Legacy
7. State of Decay
8. Bioshock Infinite
9. The Stanley Parable
10. Valdis Story: Abyssal City

2012. Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward ; My game of 2012. Not much of a fan of anime aesthetics but it didn't bother me in this game

side note: I haven't touched my Xbox and Wii in well over a year now

own but haven't played yet: Bravery Default, Link Between Worlds, Brothers

1. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ;

STANDING HERE
I REALIZE
THIS GAME IS JUST LIKE ME
TRYING TO MAKE HISTORY

BUT WHO'S TO JUDGE
THE RIGHT FROM WRONG
WHEN GAF IS DOWN
I THINK WE'LL BOTH AGREE

THAT HYPERBOLE BREEDS HYPERBOLE
BUT IN THE END IT HAS TO BE THIS WAY

I'VE CARVED MY OWN PATH
YOU FOLLOWED YOUR WRATH
BUT MAYBE WE'RE BOTH THE SAME

GAF HAS TURNED
AND SO MANY HAVE BURNED
BUT NOBODY IS TO BLAME

YET STARING ACROSS THIS BARREN WASTED LAND
I FEEL A SEQUEL THERE WILL BE
BENEATH THE BLOOD STAINED KONAMI
BENEATH THE BLOOD STAINED KONAMI



2. Fire Emblem: Awakening ;



3. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag ; Simple combat? Yes. Same old Assassin's Creed gameplay? Pretty much. Still, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag surprised me... in a good way. I admit I'm a sucker for this franchise but I really disliked Assassin's Creed III a lot. Especially the story and the main character, Connor. So color me surprised when I found out this game actually has a decent, interesting story with a good lead character. On top of that, they nailed the pirate experience. Sinking enemy ships, pillaging the navy and just exploring the world feels great. That said, it's kinda hard to defend this game because at its core, it still has the same problems from its predecessor. I feel no shame in admitting the 'feeling' of being a pirate and just sailing around is what makes this game great to me. It's what makes me forget about the boring tail missions, the broken stealth gameplay and the rest of the underwhelming missions.

1. The Last Of Us ; I explored, scavenged and absorbed the world Druckmann and Straley have created as much as I could. This game is really something special. You know, I could write about how marvelous the level design, or how the combat mechanics and gunplay feel are pitch point perfect, or how every corner of the game is jam-packed with unique detailing. Or the emotionally affecting and draining story, how the characters will stick with you, how you'll actually feel for these people. But there's not much point in describing any of this, really. Fact of the matter is TLoU is simply one of the best games of this generation, and it's everything I could've hoped for from the Straley/Druckmann duo. ND should be proud of what they have accomplished, and Sony should give these two free reign. Neil Druckmann has got to be the best writer currently working in this industry.

2. Metal Gear Rising Revengeance ; Despite its rushed nature and the fact that you can see where Platinum cut corners to make the release, the core gameplay is just too fantastic to ignore. Platinum continues to prove why they are one of the top devs at the moment.

3. Guacamelee ; Charming semi-metroidvania style brawler/platformer with a unique art design.

4. Volgarr The Viking ; Excellent retro brawler/platformer, hard as fuck, as it should be. Designed for speedrunning, it can be quite exhilarating when you pull of a perfect run on a level. Recommended for anyone looking for a challenge, it's truly a superbly designed game.

5. DmC ; Much better than I thought and than most people credit, it does in fact several things better than Platinum's own MGR. Thanks to an inventive controls sytem, all five melee weapons and three guns are available at all times without the need to go into a menu or to clunkily cycle through weapons. You immediately change to whatever it is you want to, without it being a bother at all. Responsive controls, snazzy visuals and solid combo system made this a winner for me. It's too bad most people on this forum(and everywhere else on this planet) are unable to admit when they made a mistake. I am though, and I can see that, while it's not perfect, Ninja Theory delivered a quality game.

6. DuckTales Remastered ; Retro remake. Not much else to say, it's pretty much the same NES game. Music is glorious, though. Dat virt.

7. Rayman Legends ; Not as challenging or as fresh as Origins felt, but still has its moments of genius. Here's to hoping the next one has many more musical levels.

8. Grand Theft Auto V ; It's the "next-gen" GTA game everyone hoped for, it's the true sequel to San Andreas. With all the bad and good that implies. A technical achievement for sure, but in the end it doesn't stray far, or at all, from the GTA formula, despite the multi-character system.

9. Ni No Kuni ; Super charming JRPG. Traditional but refreshing all at once. It's only at 9 because I haven't finished it yet.

10. Gone Home; Masterful example of what an interactive narrative can be. It could not work on any other media.

1. The Last of Us ; Holy crap what a ride. ND are gods.
2. Tearaway ; Easily the best game on VITA. So beautiful. I wish there were more games like it.
3. Grand Theft Auto V ; Rockstar delivered way over my expectations. Too bad the multiplayer wasn't up to spec. If this ever hits PS4 I will double dip.
4. Assassins Creed IV Black Flag ; Honestly I bought this on chance. I never was a big fan of Asscred 1, but this one is surprisingly awesome.
5. Europa Universalis IV ; Paradox won my heart with EU1. I have been a faithful player ever since.
6. Knack ; Co-op was pretty damned fun, yes I like this game a lot. Sleeper hit for sure.
7. Puppeteer ;
8. Beyond : Two Souls ;

2013 was a good year.

Why are people putting SART in their lists? Didn't it come out last year?

1. Tomb Raider ; Even though it wasn't your typical Tomb Raider game I still found it the most fun game to play this year, a great mixture of third person shooting and exploring.
2. Grand Theft Auto 5
3. The Last Of Us
4. Diablo 3
5. Bioshock Infinite
6. Dead Island Riptide
7. Gears Of War Judgement
8. Need For Speed Rivals
9. Payday 2
10. FIFA 14
2012. The Walking Dead

TheZjman said:

Why are people putting SART in their lists? Didn't it come out last year?

Click to expand...

Acronyms are dumb.

You mean Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed?
2013 release for PC and 3DS. 2012 release everything else.

1. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate ; If I don't count Minecraft mods, this was the game that consumed most of my year. It was not my first journey in the Monster Hunter universe, so I knew what I was getting into. This however was the first time it clicked so well though. The mechanics, interface, new monsters and balancing really made this one shine more than all the other entries in the series up to this point. It's also the first time I had a super smooth time getting into both online and offline hunts, which I guess is a huge contributor to my pleasant experience. Another thing I should point out is that the community itself was the most helpful and patient I have seen up until now. Perhaps it's because it's a niche game with a quite steep learning curve, on systems that don't draw the usual crowds. Whatever it was, it was great. The gameplay is largely the same classic Monster Hunter stuff. Learning a weapon type can be just as important and difficult as a monster type, but it has a pay-off that exceeds most games. This pay-off is not in the form of loot, eventhough the loot is there. Your reward is the sensation of accomplishment. The sensation that you and your team took on something that is probably out of your league, and still came out victorious feels wonderful. When I was running out of content, I switched weapon types and noticed a whole new game opened up to me. A lot of the things I knew and how I played no longer applied. I had to not only master a new type of gameplay, but also look for new ways to approach all the monsters. I played through the entire game with a friend of mine.
2. Wonderful 101 ; Hideki Kamiya delivers once again. Another frantic stylish action game with depth and a learning curve that demands time and patience. I was worried this one wouldn't resonate with me too much, since I was not familiar with the source material it heavily parodied. Luckily it was in no way subtle with its parodies and references. Everything in this game is dialed to 11, allowing everyone to enjoy its style and humour.
3. Super Mario 3D World ;
4. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ;
5. Pikmin 3 ;
6. Papers Please ;
7. Don&#8217;t Starve ;
8. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies ;
9. Brothers: A Tale of Two sons ;
10. Rogue Legacy ;

I'm glad to see my list wasn't all 3DS after the ranking and culling. I played so many great 3DS games this year that I feared they'd dominate my entire list. I'll try adding comments to the rest of my list in the next few days.

In case anyone's memory needs jogging: 2013 in gaming

Just a quick question about some games, the 3DS street pass plaza games that got released as a bundle this year, could they be considered one game or as individual games?

There are certain games I feel would be on the list if I played them, but I'm unlikely to for a while so I guess I'll go with what I have played (guess I can always update this if I get a surprise). In general I'm not a fan of numeric grading of favourites, so most of this list's numbering can be considered pretty loose, but I've tried to place them in order of how I feel about them right now:

1. The Last of Us ; Personally the technical issues took away from it more than I hoped, but it still has a great story and is built around design choices that make it a better game, rather than just one that sells the most.
2. Person 4: Golden ; Great characters, refined RPG mechanics and a nigh-unique (persona 3 aside) structure that serves the game well and makes it feel fresh in the genre. Along with a godlike soundtrack. It could really do with better dungeon design though.
3. Metro: Last Light ; A game that "streamlines" in the right ways; it takes away most of the clunky parts and annoyances of the original game while keeping all it's strengths. It suffers a little from too many "follow" moments, but the agency given between those moments is still far more than most modern FPS.
4. Volgarr The Viking ; I wasn't expecting much from this game, as a lot of indie throwbacks are an nostalgic view of what made old games good rather than what actually made them good. Volgarr is one of the few games that perfectly captures the latter, to the point it's one of the stronger games in it's genre.
5. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen ; This game has a ton of flaws (not least technically), but it has also got strengths matched by few other games, and the new content plays right into those strengths to deliver an excellent dungeon crawl experience. It's also one of the rare modern AAA games with legitimate surprises in it's progression and story. Also an excellent soundtrack that I didn't appreciate in the game's original form.
6. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; This one is hard to talk about because I haven't actually finished it yet, but based on everything I've heard it's a very consistent experience so I have no qualms about putting it on here prematurely. It takes many of the things people have said Zelda needs and goes ahead and does them, based on what I've played so far a couple of aspects of that could still be refined, but those changes are still a breath of fresh air to the series. Edit: Finished it and my overall thoughts haven't changed much.
7. Fire Emblem: Awakening ; Even as someone who very rarely plays SRPGs I could see some of the gameplay flaws towards the end despite playing on hard (having a few strong members dominate a map is much safer than using an army), but it's still enjoyable and obviously refined. I also really liked how much you could tailor the way it played in terms of animation, round speed and similar, to the point that the same battle could take an hour or a couple of minutes depending on your preferences and mood.
8. Shadow Warrior ; One of the few times an FPS revival has actually gone right. It does some quite unique things with it's design, and also has surprisingly good writing (to the point it's probably the best written FPS this year). While still pretty linear the level design frequently has foreshadowing and interlinking, and some levels do a great job of coming across as a fully realised location, as well as having rewarding secret hunting. I feel like several of the issues from the developer's previous game (Hard Reset) are still present but covered up by the new mechanics and focus, but overall that still means they're comparatively marginalised. It's also great to see a modern FPS that professes to be "oldschool" which supports quicksaves by default.
9. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon ; This game ruined current sandbox design for me. In 8-10 hours it managed to capture almost everything I found enjoyable about FC3, and made me realise just how filler infested that game is. By extension it made me realise how filler infested EVERY sandbox game is. I still haven't fully processed what that means in terms of Blood Dragon itself, but it deserves recognition for that.
10. Call of Juarez: Gunslinger ; I haven't played the earlier games, but this certainly wasn't on my radar after hearing how awful in every area The Cartel is, but after a bunch a praise of this game along with it's low price I had to check it out and found one of the strongest FPS of recent years. It also tries some very interesting things with delivering the story.
x. Rogue Legacy ; The complete lack of an endgame precludes me from giving this game any points, but it was fun while it lasted.
x. Bioshock: Infinite ; I had far too many issues with it's gameplay design and story execution to give it points, but it's still ambitious in base concept and with a beautiful setting (even if it unfortunately throws that away to go all desaturated in the later parts).
x. Tomb Raider ; Given I've sounded negative about this elsewhere those who've saw that might be surprised by this, but I still enjoyed it, and, as I've said, I've never thought very highly of Crystal's previous original attempts at the series anyway. In some sense I'm glad they've washed their hands of the original series rather than continuing to taint peoples perceptions of what it was (and, by extension, left the path open for someone else to properly revive what the genre originally was). There were only a few parts I truly loved, but it's a fun shooter with some nice environments and visuals even if it is as shallow as a puddle and awfully written.
x. Ni No Kuni ; The flawed AI and monster capturing/levelling mechanics make this a bit style over substance, but what style!
x. Saint's Row 4 ; It suffers from the sandbox filler issues I mentioned on Blood Dragon, but the fast pace the superpowers bring makes it far more digestible (I did everything in around twenty hours compared to most sandbox games where it would take around forty). Story wise it's full of perfect parodies and makes some of the best use of licensed songs I've seen.
x. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ; This was in the top ten but got ousted by my late playing of Shadow Warrior. The signs of this game being rushed out are quite clear, but it's a still a nice attempt at trying something a little different with the character action genre, and I have no doubt the sequel will take it to the next level. Also a great soundtrack.
x. Super Mario 3D World ; This is a little odd because I haven't played it, and, while there's always the chance of it disappointing, everything I've heard suggests it would be near or at the top of my GOTY list if I had, so I'm giving it a nod.
x. Spelunky ; A very late arrival to the list, and it might have got on the actual list if I played it earlier, but I need to play it more to judge that. I played the free Spelunky a while ago and it didn't do that much for me, but I got the paid one recently and I'm finding it much better (whether that's due to improvements or me just being in a better mood for it). It's one of the only randomly generated games I've played where it feels like an essential part of the game rather than an way out of coming up with level design, and the different objects and mechanics do a great job making complex interactions out of simple individual items.
2012. Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition ; Because I can.

1. Hotline Miami ; Hotline Miami I first played on PC last year and I was simply stunned by it. Everything \i loved from films and music piled into one amazingly brutal package. The game has had quite the impact on my life as a whole the past few months I asked my girlfriend to marry me with a Hm badge I got from Gamescom as she loved it also and this was compunded by the fact I was lucky enough to meet Dennis Wedin also at Gamescom and to have him watch me play the sequel was pretty daunting but something I will never forget.

2. Metal Gear Rising Revengeance ; Rules of Nature

3. Killer Is Dead ; SUDA51 is just amazing.

4. Europa Universalis IV ; Combine this with CK2 and you have the best strategy game ever made

5. Papers Please ; An oppresive atmosphere is somehow created just by the checking of legal papers.

6. Bioshock Infinite ; Looking back on it now it is certainly a flawed game but at the time I enjoyed the game throughly.

7. Grand Theft Auto V ; I loved the characters -seemingly being a minority- the self destructive-ness particulalry. The satire is mostly pushed and forced but it had a massive impact unlike any game in the industry.

Ill maybe add some more later. Its tough I didnt realise the majority of games I enjoyed this year were 1 or 2 years old.

1. Tearaway ; Tearaway got me like a Pixar film. By the end I was gushing tears of happiness and wanting to hug everybody I know. It sounds impossibly twee - you (literally - you) have to help a messenger deliver a message to you. In a world of paper. With squirrels. And gophers. And lonely pigs.

But Tearaway is heartwarming from beginning to end and incredibly intelligent. It has that perfect Pixar balance of being simple but not simplistic and actually conveying a message which is profound (yes, profound.) There's not much challenge here but there is constant invention. Every ten minutes of gameplay gives you a new mechanic, a new chance to be creative or a new distraction. And it directly addresses you - this isn't an oblique commentary on games as escapism or stories and mythology as essential to the human experience - this is you actually living the themes of the game. It would be criminal of me to give away anything about the last third of the game and the point at which it deliberately crosses from being charming and fun into moving and (even more) heartfelt, but Tearaway is the best example I can remember of a game which understands that games can be both be manipulated and manipulate the player in far more ways than just fighting and shooting. It's magnificent. And if I had to pick my favourite game (not just GOTY) ever, it would be this one.

I'll flesh this out, change order, and add/remove games later. Right now, what I'm thinking:

x. Tales of Xillia ; multiplayer

4. Resogun ; distilled gaming. Fun gaming. Armageddon.

3. Pikmin 3 ; dem controls. Wiimote + Nunchuk + Gamepad + TV. Perfection!

2. Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; Loved the dungeons in any order. Could not put the game down.

1. Shin Megami Tensei IV ; most fun all year, great experience

Worthintendo said:

Just a quick question about some games, the 3DS street pass plaza games that got released as a bundle this year, could they be considered one game or as individual games?

Click to expand...

They're listed individually on the spreadsheet.

1. The Last of Us ; One of the greatest games of all time, a true masterpiece in every aspect of its design. The slow, scavenging gameplay had to be executed thoughtfully in order to survive, this aspect was wonderfully balanced on my own Normal playthrough, and gave rise to both gut-wrenchingly tense and fist-pumping...ly satisfying situations. Backing up the excellent gameplay was a moving and surprising story, not 'surprising' in the typical 'twist' fashion that all too many games attempt, but it felt like a game with an unfamiliar plot and character types, it felt like unexplored territory. When you finish the game you don't know what to think, you have to mull it over and ponder about what it means to you. How many games can say that? A real masterpiece.
2. Grand Theft Auto V ; I thoroughly enjoyed the single player, but it was the outright blast I had in multiplayer that brings this game up the list. Rockstar didn't nail the multiplayer, but they've cobbled together something incredibly fun... on the condition that you group with friends and play in private worlds.
3. Tomb Raider ; This game was a triumph in my opinion, it's not easy relaunching and redefining a series that has been fading away for many years, but this game did just that. Finely crafted game design is the at the core of this excellent title. It's unusual for me to care about DLC but I was very disappointed when Eidos announced that Tomb Raider would receive no single player DLC at all. Eagerly anticipating the inevitable sequel.
4. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag ; Although I ended the game thinking that Ubi needs to give the series a break or a major redesign of its core mechanics, this AC sunk its hooks in me and had me eagerly seek out 88% of the trophies in the game. I was hooked in that lovely way when you keep doing "just one more thing". Many a late night on this, a return to form for the series, but I really don't need this every year.
5. Fire Emblem Awakening ; I don't believe I've ever played a strategy RPG before. The gameplay of this title was extremely addictive. Possibly the worst story of all time, but I didn't particularly care as the game was so much fun.
6. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon ; For me this was a reminder that Nintendo still have was it takes to please me. A thoroughly charming game.
7. Dead Rising 3 ; I had a tonne of fun with this one, the design of the first two in the series wasn't my cup of tea but DR3 fixed every issue I had. I intend to go back to this game to try to 100% it.
8. BattleBlock Theater ; Stupid crazy fun to be had in co-op, it was a hilarious pleasure to finish this game with a friend.
9. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon ; Loved FC3 and this was a wonderfully imaginative spin on it, couldn't stop until I 100%'d it.
10. Powerstar Golf ; I'll probably still be playing this game in a few months time, if you have a friend to play with, this game has serious legs.

1. Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch ; Amazing from start to finish. It has more visual flair in one of it's areas than many have from start to finish. The soundtrack is superb, and even the battle system was right up my alley. A masterpiece.
This game grabbed hold of me and struck a nerve that was just perfect, a bright, fun and rewarding adventure with interesting characters and a world that never stopped wowing me with it's masterfully done art, music and design. And to my surprise, as it's usually the other way around with JRPGS, the game got better and better as the story progressed, constantly blowing me away with the quality and detail of the late-game environments, character interactions, stories and challenges.

Rest might be coming later.

I am going to only include games I have beat or at least put a good amount of time into.

1. DOTA 2 ; Easily the game I have spent the most time with and probably enjoyed the most. You have to take the good with the bad and just like any multiplayer game that comes with the people you play with.
2. The Last of Us ; Naught Dog did it again and at this point I feel like I would be willing to buy anything they make without learning anything about the game. The game opens up with such an emotional part and that ride just does not stop. If Naught Dog does make another game I would love to play it but this is easily a standalone game that everyone should play.
3. Bioshock Infinite; At times I was just wanting the game to end but after it was all said and done I really enjoyed my experience with the game. Looking back at my time with the game, I would have preferred to play it on a lower difficulty because I just did not enjoy the combat. Something just kind of felt off for me but the story kept me interested all the way through.
4. Guacamelee ; I really loved Guacamelee and it was the perfect game for the vita. The game's difficulty increased and towards the end some of the rooms required a lot of skill to complete.
5. Fire Emblem Awakening; This was my first experience with a Fire Emblem game and I have really enjoyed my experience with it. First starting out I quickly learned at how tactical I needed to be because the fact of how fast characters can die. With death actually being permanent that forces you to think things out more and make smarter decisions.
6. Pokemon X ; I had hoped that this would match the love that I had for the original series but at this point I have realized that can never happen. I enjoyed the game but just the lack of stuff to do post Elite Four is disappointing.

This is actually quite hard to narrow down... lot of great stuff this year, but the ones that really stuck with me would probs go(Incoming superlatives):

1. The Last of Us ; Emotional rollercoaster of a game that is all at once fun, tense, moving, engaging, beautiful and devastating. A truly superb example of how an excellent game and an excellent story can be interwoven in an unintrusive way that makes you feel like a part of the narrative rather than a mere passive spectator to it. A masterclass in story based gaming. Multiplayer is pretty sweet also.

2. Grand Theft Auto V ; Incredibly well designed game with a shitload of content and stuff to do. Doesn't take itself too seriously and can often be genuinely hilarious as well as being a ton of fun. Open world gaming done right.

3. Assassin's Creed IV ; Quite simply everything the ten year old in me could have wanted from a video game: Sailing the ocean raiding ships for their booty, searching tropical islands using vague, hand drawn pictures as maps to find buried treasure and getting into sword fights where at any time you can pull an Indiana Jones and just pull out your gun and shoot the guy you're duelling in the face. Amazing game. Doubly so since it followed that stinker ACIII.

4. Tearaway ; Quite simply the most inventive, unique 3D platformer I've played in many many years. The Vita's features have never and will never again be so well implemented as they are here. Exceptional.

5. Guacamelee ; Incredibly fun, challenging platformer with a really great visual style. Bit short but the level design is really great, with some really punishing jumping puzzles that were a blast to get through.

6. Resogun ; Not a whole lot to it, but Resogun is incredibly fun and engrossing. I was glued to that first playthrough the day I got my PS4 and have replayed it multiple times since. Still trying to get that 15x multiplier trophy. Not nearly enough games like this anymore.

7. Puppeteer ; Visually grand in style, lots of fun to play, great soundtrack... the only thing not to like here is Sony sending it to die .

8. Killzone Mercenary ; Utterly unique handheld experience that offers a visually stunning shooter with tight gameplay and awesome multiplayer.

9. Tales of Xillia ; All the animu tropes you could ask for in a huge JRPG with some insanely addictive combat.

10. DMC Devil May Cry ; Come at me bro.

Honorable mentions:

x. Ratchet and Clank Nexus ; Insomniac's Playstation swansong isn't their best work, but it's a damn fine game to go out on. Gonna miss you guys.

x. Beyond Two Souls ; One of the most visually spectacular games this gen, easily. Some of the gameplay (The action based stuff mainly) is a bit of a misfire, but this game has a pretty great sci fi story to it that has some great voice work and a better soundtrack... but yeah, a lot of the Heavy Rain novelty is gone.

2012. Persona 4 Golden ; Why can't I stop going back to this? What is it about this game?.

GTA V for the boys.

TLOU for the men.

Let's do this.

1. Grand Theft Auto 5 ; Amazing fun, amazing production value. So much better than GTA 4.
2. The Last Of Us ; A milestone in storytelling in games. That was a close one between that and GTA 5. I didn't play Super Mario though.
3. Resogun ; The Ultimate arcade game. Fun, powerful, fluid, graphically impressive.
4. Civilization 5 : A Brave New World ; Expands greatly on the original. Great ideas like ideologies / blocks / archeology. Too bad the tactical AI is still a bit difficult to make due to the one unit per tile rule.
5. Puppeteer ; Oozes fun and creativity. Gameplay changes constantly. Underrated game.
2012. Persona 4 : The Golden ; A deep RPG with a great setting and an interesting story. Looks beautiful on Vita too.

Haven't played too many games this year.

1. Dota 2; I don't play it religiously like I did League, but it is by far one of the most polished, competitive games I've played.

2. Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen; Sort of GOTY edition to one of the games that defined the generation.

1. DOTA 2 ; I've been playing since the Warcraft III days, I think almost 10 years now...
2. Super Mario 3D World ; I just picked up a Wii U and this game is gorgeous!

I was going to list DOTA 2 1-9 but I didn't want to get disqualified. I'll stick with just 1 and 2.

I don't know why I couldn't take The Last of Us seriously. For me it was a giant cheesefest with some technical issues that really took away form the game.

1. The Legend of Zelda: A link between worlds ; Best Zelda game ever probably...
2. Bravely Default ; This was a hard choice. I wasn't sure if this was my GOTY or not and I'm probably still enthusiastic over this, as it recently came out, but I think it totally deserves this title. I haven't played every Final Fantasy game and I am not really a hardcore fan of jrpgs and actually I wasn't planning to buy that game. It's really a flawless game. I loved it. Great characters, nice story, some very interesting mechanics and of course, some of the best music tracks I've heard in a game. Edit: Well, the best Zelda beat it...
3. Pokemon XY ; I really love Pokemon but I have to admit that the 5th generation games(BW/B2W2) wasn't as good as I hoped. I didn't even play for more than 100 hours. Actually, after the third generation, it was harder for me to enjoy pokemon games as much as I used to. Still, XY, the first 3d main pokemon game was a blast. I think they're actually my favourite installments in the series. Some of the best pokemon designs along with great changes in the game, like the easier breeding and the SPP, a feature that I liked a lot.
4. Monster Hunter Tri Ultimate ; Ahh... This game... This probably was the game I played the most this year. Compared to Tri, I actually enjoyed it much more. A huge game. Many weapons, many monsters and of course great online. This was the reason I bought a Wii U and certainly it worth it. The graphics wasn't really "next gen", but it was still mindblowing. Games like that is the reason I still love Capcom.
5. Fire Emblem: Awakening ; My first Fire Emblem game and certainly not the last. A game that I really liked too. Great depth on the mechanics and really nice characters.
6. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD ; A very nice game but probably a disappointment for the standarts of the series. It certainly wasn't bad but I just didn't find it as good as games like TP, OoT, MM... The HD version is definitely great for whoever has not played the original and the Miiverse support is the best I've seen in a game.
7. New Super Luigi U ; Definitely the best DLC I've tried.
8. NES Remix ; Fun game.
2012. New Super Mario Bros. U ; The best 2D Mario game.

Unfortunately I haven't played games like 3D World, AA5, Pikmin 3, TW101 etc... Still a great year.