1. GTA 5 ; With San andreas the best game in the series. Hoping for a PS 4 version to smooth out the framerate and to see better texture quality.
2. The Last of Us ; with Uncharted 2 ND best game on the PS3. Really great experience.
3. Tomb Raider ; biggest surprise of the year for me. The marketing for this did its best to make me not buy this game but i gave it a shot and had a great time with it. This game has a great adventure atmosphere and the bow was very fun to use.
4. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag ; huge surprise. AC 3 was awful, but i needed a singleplayer game for my new PS 4 and the pirate theme was fresh and boy was this game fun. It still has some bad stuff in it, but its one of the game were the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
5. Batman: Arkham Origins ; very solid copy from AC, but all the bugs are really a shame. Without the bugs this would be a highly underrated game.
6. Metro: Last Light ; good game and worthy successor, but was a bit too streamlined.
7. Bioshock Infinte ; Solid, but no match for the great e3 gameplay demo or the first BioShock. In the end i left disappointed.
1. Bioshock Infinite ; The story, art, characters, and ending all stuck with me. It also has a certain charm that I can't get enough of.
2. Grand Theft Auto V ; This game is pure ambition executed nearly perfectly. I'll never understand the controls though.
3. Tearaway ; Endless charisma and boundless fun. Validates the ownership of a Vita singlehandedly.
4. Kingdom Rush: Frontiers ; My favorite iPad game, hands down. Extremely addictive and amusing.
5. Resogun ; Housemarque has done it again. They created a launch title I have grown to love over the course of my PS4 ownership, and, if it's anything like Super Stardust HD, it'll be a game I come back to for years to come.
1. Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch ; This game reminded me of being a kid again and just enjoying a game because it is beautiful and fun and engaging. I cannot say enough about this game.
2. The Last of Us ; Intense, emotional and epic. Anyone who has played this game knows that the story and characters are better than most movies and novels that are released these days. Naughty Dog never disappoints.
3. Dead Space 3 ; A series that got better as it got older, I am usually not a huge fan of serial games, but this game was just fantastic to look at and terrifying to play.
4. Grand Theft Auto 5 ; Great characters, an amazing sandbox world, and all the car chases and crazy stunts your heart desires. What really needs to be said about a GTA game.
1. Assassins Creed IV (PS4) ; Truly enjoyable. They seem to take the best parts of each game and put it here, between ship battles and just exploring and adventuring, it really brings a smile to my face every time I play it. 2. Grand Theft Auto V (360) ; They got rid of everything I disliked about GTA IV and this game has some of the most memorable and best missions in gaming. Period. 3. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (3DS) ; My first time playing, clocked almost 160 hours. A lot of things I'd change but a lot of others I wouldn't. 4. Zelda A Link Between Worlds (3DS) ; Absolutely charming. 5. Pokemon Y (3DS) ; What can I say, I've been playing it since Red/Blue and this does everything right. 6. Need For Speed Rivals (PS4) ; A complete surprise to me. What a wonderful game and really jumped me back into the arcade-style racing games. 7. Shin Megami Tensei IV (3DS) ; After hating the fucking map, worst thing in a game ever created, I just started using a guide here and there for locations and the game became a lot easier to follow and I really enjoyed most of it. Spent a lot of time so it's up there for sure.
x. Fire Emblem Awakening (3DS) ; Haven't given it that much time yet but I've really enjoyed what I played x. Tearaway (PSV) ; Again, haven't played enough to really make a vote on it, but like what I have played.
2012. Persona 4 Golden (PSV) ; Bought it on sale to have a new RPG for my newly purchased Vita ... hooked me like no other. I haven't even gone back to the games mentioned above, would probably place above a lot of others.
In retrospect, a lot of handheld games. It was a great year for the 3DS and I'm not even mentioning a lot that I played but wouldn't consider GOTY material.
1. The Last of Us: The only game that took me away from the clutches of Guild Wars 2. I really enjoyed the story and was very happy I played it on hard because I heard that on easy the gameplay was not as interesting. I think at some point someone was cutting onions near me when I was playing.
2. Guild Wars 2 Living Story updates (17 updates): This has been my go to game since it released and with every update this year I just got more and more hooked into it. 17 updates in one year for a non subscription MMO, what's not to love.
3. Bioshock Infinite: Only other game I played this year and I really enjoyed the story but thh combat got really boring. Not done yet because The Last of Us came out and distracted me. Hope to finish it before the end of the year.
Heh, this is my first year on GAF where I'd struggle to make a full list of worthy ten games. It's been a crazy year. I'd still like to participate so I'll probably just do a list of three or so games this time.
PORT RULE: Games that released in your region in 2012 BUT NO EARLIER and have been brought to a new platform in 2013 are eligible, as long as you didn't vote on it last year.
More than likely, I'm going to revisit my list before January 18th. 2013 has an interesting (and enjoyable) problem of having too many games that were just excellent. Also, I must warn you but the links in the TLOU do contain spoilers.
1) Fire Emblem Awakening (3DS) ; This year alone, I spent about 57 hours (or more) playing this game. And loved every second of it. Prior to this game, I was completely new to the Fire Emblem series (as were a lot of people). After completing it, I know I will play the rest of the series and not only that, but seek out other SRPG’s as well. Given the vast number of characters in the game, this game could almost be compared to Suikoden; you start to care quite a bit about losing your character in battle. Although there are moments of levity, the game’s story is quite a serious affair.
I actually cried during the revelation of Marth as Lucina as she hugs her father;
such a well done moment in the game. This game is honestly packed with content as well – S-ranks, supports, marriages, the offspring characters, job classes, switching job classes throughout the game, DLC, the works. And everyone has a favorite waifu for their Avatar (unless you are on Team Female Avatar).
2) Tearaway (PSVita) ; Microsoft should take note – this is how you do a camera and motion integrated game. While this doesn’t save the Vita (and as perfect as the world of Tearaway is there are some faults like confetti pieces being glitched out during my playthrough and some of the rear touch controls are almost crappy at times), this is an amazing, creative and fun game. It manages to stay true to the roots of 3D platformers from the PS1/N64 days while offering something new and memorable. I did my part in buying this game, have you?
3) The Last Of Us (PS3) ; On another message board I visit frequently, there’s quite a few people who hate this game. They don’t consider TLOU to be a ‘video game’ but a ‘story.’ They complain about the gameplay and talk about how GTAV is a better game (even though I’m not saying that this game is better than GTAV, I just haven’t played enough of GTAV to form an impression or really wanted to play more of it). Everyone will have their opinion about which game is better (and 2013 alone to me has games that would be #1 GOTY in any other year). But my reasoning for picking TLOU is based on what makes me continue to play video games. There is gameplay in TLOU – it harkens back to Resident Evil. It wraps now familiar tropes used in similar games but shakes it up. It offers what made games in the past work but also offers something new too. This is what I (and a lot of people) had in mind when they conceived of a Resident Evil for next-gen consoles starting out this past gen. It’s just amazing to see Naughty Dog realize that vision. This is a game for grown-ups and is every bit of its “Rate M for Mature.” Instead of it being because of ‘uhhh huh huh, I shoot people,’ it’s the subject matter. It’s the story. It’s the messiness of human emotions and human life brought to a video game. There are lots of scenes and moments in The Last Of Us that truly stand out. It’s not just cutscenes or voice acting. The gameplay tells the story – especially
during the “Winter” section of the game.
Naughty Dog has made a story that would not be out of place on HBO, put forth a compelling argument that video games can be a work of art, and managed to deliver a game that exceeds expectations.
4) BioShock Infinite (PS3) ;
Constants and variables. Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt. The false shepherd is coming to lead my lamb astray. The mind adapts.
These are just words outside of its context. But when compared to BioShock Infinite’s universe
(or universes)
and its story, it means a lot more. True, the story begins to fall apart a bit half way through….but what a story it is. What’s also true is that the gameplay isn’t quite as revolutionary as its story. It’s not the perfect storm of gameplay, story, presentation, visuals, and overall passion that The Last Of Us is. I just spent hours soaking in the universe of this game….I wish that there was a Deus Ex: HR-like game set in this world. I wish there was another game about
Daisy Fitzroy’s Vox Populi.
I wish there was a game about Comstock’s early days. A lot of today colors this game IMO – the battle of the haves vs. the have nots. People practically killing each other over a manual labor job with Jeremiah Fink. People like Comstock trying to take control of the U.S. politically (heck, a Tea Party group in Florida took an image from the game and posted it to their Facebook wall proudly without realizing or caring about the context or message from the source). I also dug the ending as well – the ending was the ending that Irrational Games wanted to tell, not the one that I wanted or the ones that ‘ensures a sequel’ for a franchise. It’s one of the few games this year that I played to earning a Platinum and still finding something new with it every time I played it.
5) The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS) ; This is a mediocre Zelda game. Yet a mediocre Zelda game is better than a lot of games series’ best games. Nintendo has a tall order with this game series and the expectations people have for it. The problem is a lot of what Nintendo has done recently has changed what people expect out of Zelda. As it is next to impossible (nor is it fair) to compare this game to A Link To The Past…..the game sets itself up as a ‘sequel’ to A Link To The Past, but spiritual successor is a better term. Either way, the game is excellent and is certainly easier to get into (no hours of tutorials so that you can finally get started). Although some of the dungeons were a tad on the easy side, I can say that I had a blast going through them. The final dungeon and final boss battle made this game worth it IMO. Sad that Nintendo’s best games are on the handhelds.
6) Gone Home (PC) ; I remembered what it was like for me in 1995. I was graduating from middle school/junior high school and about to start high school in the fall. It was a scary time. I had no friends really. And I was embarrassed to have anyone come to my house at all. Gone Home is a distillation of those feelings and of those times. Back before bullying campaigns, before sensitivity counseling for high school kids, before school shootings, and before people understood loners. Gone Home shows what it was like for a family in 1995 and does something different and profound with a video game. Like my next pick, this is an avant garde game. It is a game and it is also not a game. You go through the entire house with a sense of dread, tension and fear. Not to spoil it, but that’s a good feeling to have in this game.
7) The Stanley Parable (PC) ; How and why is this on my list? Is it even a game? It’s as much of a game as Journey and Dear Esther are. It’s like free jazz or avant-garde music -- it pushes video games forward and offers an experience that aren’t like what you experience with music, films, or literature and doesn’t fit within the confinements that video games especially AAA blockbuster titles seem to have. You don’t play The Stanley Parable. Like Dear Esther and Journey from last year, the game says as much about the person playing it as it does about itself. There is a point to The Stanley Parable and there isn’t. It’s the most Zen form of gaming, because it’s not a game and it is also a game. It manages to illustrate choice in a game and why that may be an illusion (or is it?).
The first time I did it, I purposely did the exact opposite of what the narrator wanted, just to see what the narrator would do or say. The narrator grew frustrated with me and I laughed and laughed because I seemingly made the choice to tick off the narrator. But that’s accepted in the game because there was a reaction by the narrator and I was given the choice again. Eventually, my game ended and my narrator was beside himself over it and I was outside of a room watching the narrator talk to a lifeless person.
The Stanley Parable considers player agency, choice, decision making, and ponders philosophical concepts too. You can choice countless other actions as it’s presented to you as well – this is something everyone needs to experience.
8) Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon (PSN) ; While it has the same sort of ‘collectibles for the sake of it’ that Tomb Raider did, the difference being….Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon was/is a lot of fun to play. It’s also a shorter experience. But it’s like ‘every freakin’ thing you do is awesome’ that Giant Bomb talked about with Saints Row: The Third during their Bombcasts one time. “If it’s not awesome, you better fuckin’ make it awesome.” One of the few games I 100% this year and enjoyed every bit of it.
And genocide is fun, especially when you have “Victory” from Rocky IV playing.
9) Guacamelee! (PSN) ; At first I really loved this game – but some of the moves got to be too frustrating for me, even on Normal mode. I didn’t want to think about trying to Platinum this game when I finally finished it. But still, a great Metroidvania style brawler and despite some very frustrating boss battles (especially the final boss), I have to say I really enjoyed my time with this game this year.
10) Picross e2 (3DS) ; I played every single Picross e games from this year and loved them all. Why it is tempting to put all three here, I decided to put e2 in. For me, it’s a very satisfying and engrossing game and the best of the three. Not to mention you can build paintings from your picross puzzles. I felt smarter after playing this series and I know I would buy a Picross e4 or even a Picross HD if it came to PSN/XBLA or Wii U eshop.
x: Knack (PS4) ; This game will not be one of the ‘top games from the PS4 generation.’ I’m not going to pretend that it will be. I have this as an honorable mention because it shows what will be coming to the PS4 in terms of ambition, scope, and capabilities and it’s exciting. If this game were on the PS3, even then it would be a great game (maybe not as good as some of the more notables from this year). I had a lot of fun with this game and I know I’m going to try to go back and Platinum it as well.
x: Bit.Trip Presents Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien (PSN) ; I wasn’t/aren’t a big fan of the Bit.Trip series. To me, the controls are a bit iffy. But I totally got this game and the presentation of it made me want to try to 100%. I haven’t succeeded, but this game is worthy enough to check out IMO.
x - Resogun (PS4) ; I enjoyed this game for the most part but it's aggravating to try to save every human. Not quite the addictive rush that Super Stardust HD is, but nothing is.
x - DMC Devil May Cry (PC/PS3) ; This game just doesn't work, yet it does. People hate the game, yet there's a lot to love. Old-school DMC fans hated this game, but I loved it because it was easy enough even on Nephilim difficulty for me to beat. But it's not really one of the best of the year.
x - DuckTales Remastered (PSN) ; Nostalgia is a powerful thing. WayForward did their best game ever with DuckTales Remastered. The only drawback is....cutscenes? Thank goodness you can skip them.
x - Saints Row IV (PC/PS3) ; I spent 40 hours this year 100% this game. Why? Because I totally loved it. The drawback is I don’t remember too much of the story of the game, unlike SR:TT. Still, the homages throughout this game and the fun side missions you get to do is exceptional. The problem with the game is it’s really not one of the best of the year; your enjoyment of it depends on how much you like the meta-jokes and the references filled in the game and how much the gameplay appeals to you. This game is just as much about fan service as a Japanese manga; all the references to the previous Saints Row games show up, almost on cue. It might be said that the biggest disappointment of the year for me is very similar to this. I felt more of a sense of exhilaration with Saints Row IV’s open-world than I did with Tomb Raider’s open-world.
Disappointment of the Year: Tomb Raider (PS3) – I had heard that a lot of people hated this game – I tried very hard to go into this game completely blind. Even then, I’m not sure I fully understand this game. It almost feels like the developers were trying to do EVERYTHING in one game and not just make the game in the mold of Uncharted or Resident Evil 4 and simply have been satisfied with that. They wanted it to have….RPG levelling! Collectibles like Batman: Arkham Asylum or Metroid that you can 100% the area of your map (like I’ve been doing)! Cinematic sequences! Quick Time Events! A story that makes you wish this is what Lost was like! And oh yeah, raiding tombs! In most cases, just focusing on one thing the game does right makes the game work better than focusing on several different areas, which this game tries to do. It’s like the game is designed by a committee, rather than out of passion for the game series or for video games as a medium or a main creative person trying to accomplish a particular goal with the game. The story is quite excellent, but it’s sad that what it’s trying to do is so distracting from me wanting to explore areas of a map to have level up XP/collect items/level up weapons. The story gets in the way of my collect-a-thon and my collect-a-thon gets in the way of the story. When I wasn’t trying to collect everything, I felt like the story’s development was natural and it didn’t feel out of place for Lara to be able to take on enemies – it fit within the story very well. The game unfortunately tries to hit a list of checkmarks for a ‘quality video game production’ and hoping that you get wrapped up in the world of Tomb Raider, rather than just letting your passion and creativity within the game develop organically. I hope that for the sequel the developers do one of two things: a) either foregone the cinematic action and focus strictly on the collectibles, weapons crafting, and skill levelling or b) keep the relatively realistic focus as a cinematic action platformer a la Uncharted and Resident Evil 4. And not do both. So now Square-Enix wants to re-release the same game on next-gen consoles, but….more ‘definitive’ and with better hair effects. Ugh.
2013’s 2012 Game of the Year – Sleeping Dogs ; The flip side to Tomb Raider’s collectibles with a story is Sleeping Dogs. Sleeping Dogs felt more like a better open-world experience for me. Again, the same thing that made me love Saints Row IV I loved about Sleeping Dogs: there was a sense of fun for me and I enjoyed every second of the gameplay. I 100%’ed the game because I enjoyed it, not out of an obligation to the game. The designers knew what they wanted to accomplish and stuck with it – they wanted to make it a Hong Kong GTA and you feel like the star of a Hong Kong action film the whole time. I really can’t wait to see a Sleeping Dogs game for next-gen consoles.
1. The Last of Us ;
2. Super Mario World 3D ;
3. Rayman Legends ; I generally am not a fan of platformers but, this game made them enjoyable for me.
4. Soul Sacrifice ; My favorite Vita game by a wide margin.
5. Path of Exile ; If the combat was better it would be my number one.
6. Rocksmith 2014 ; A very good sequel.
7. Battlefield 4 ; It's damn pretty and damn fun, when it works.
8. Beyond: Two Souls ;
9. Killzone: Mercenary ; Between this and Shadow Fall I feel that Mercenary offers more in the form of replayability.
10. Diablo III ; The console version is what I had hoped for in the PC version.
1. The Last of Us; Game of the Generation, perfect pacing
2. Tearaway; So imaginative, maybe the most beautiful game ever made
3. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance; Perfect combination of MGS and Platinum Insanity
4. Grand Theft Auto V; If all the missions were as creative as the Yoga one this might have been GOTY
5. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies; Finally!
6. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag; There should be more pirate games
7. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds; Best Zelda in ages
1. The Last of Us ; Just overall stuning, one of my favorite games of all time.
2. Dragons Dogma Dark Arisen ; A flawed gem but Dark Arisen improved it a bit - fantastic ARPG
3. Ni No Kuni ; Charming and beautiful JRPG. Neato!
4. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate ; Played it for around 600 hours on my Wii U, just fun and addictive.
5. Dragon's Crown ; Loved the art and gameplay, still playing it on my Vita after 130 hours.
1. Soul Sacrifice ; A masterpiece.
2. Splinter Cell: Blacklist ; Best stealth gameplay ever, and I love stealth.
3. Dragons Dogma: Dark Arisen ; One of my favourite RPGs off all time and I love RPGs.
4. The Last of Us ; It didn't quite grab me as I hoped it would but I still recognise its quality.
5. Warframe ; I don't have another game to put here and I'm enjoying this a lot at the moment so why not?
1. GTA V ; Rockstar knocked it out of the park. Most fun I've had playing a game in a long time.
2. Ni no Kuni.
3. Tearaway
4. Bioshock Infinite.
5. Tomb Raider.
6. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time.
2012: Far Cry 3
Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to play TLOU yet, no doubt it would make my list.
1. GTAV ; I don't know which places I might visit in the future, but after playing the first 10 minutes of GTAV it felt like I brought a country into my living room instead of going there. GTAV is pure satire, yes, but I can't help but feel that Rockstar gave us a huge piece of America on a Blu-Ray; I felt like a tourist at times, chillin' at beach at day and cruising through a jungle of lights at night with Still D.R.E. on. The way the characters speak, the way the animations are handled - it truly looks like having a huge window at home instead of a flatscreen. And not only that, but there is so much FUN stuff to do, from playing golf to fucking yoga - it's all in here. You can take selfies. You can spend your whole time in the mountains. There are so many "You can" sentences that can be made of GTAV that it is ridiculous, and that's probably what Ubisoft executives thought as well. Shooting, driving, you name it - all of these mechanics have been overhauled and greatly improved, it's the best of all worlds and it feels fantastic. The game has flaws and still suffers from usual GTA deseases, yes, but it's easy to overlook those when you look at the entire package which contains the best realized and most detailed video game world of all time, with something interesting around every corner. A true landmark title - Los Santos for life.
2. Super Mario 3D World ; Mario, Mario, Mario - it's a name that we read too often recently and a face that's almost on every website that covers anything with the name Nintendo on it. Gaming's biggest icon and the equivalent of Mickey Mouse, and star of many, many games, and for many, many people, he isn't only overused but also that they've grown sick and tired of it, putting the amount of Mario games on the same level of bad as Call Of Duty and therefore dismissing him. But what many of these naysayers seem to miss is that the Mario mainline games belong to the creme de la creme of the entire medium, not only easily sitting on the skyhigh throne of 3D platforming for years but also managing to widen the gap between themselves and their competitors further and further with each installment while those same rivals still try to match the perfection of Mario 64. 3D World presents platforming in merciless pure form with no fucks given to current gaming conventions: forget cutscenes longer than gaming segments, forget filling up XP bar after XP bar and forget the focus on presentation - even though 3D World is one the best looking games to date from a company with supposedly no HD-development experience. EAD Tokyo knows what works in Mario and what doesn't, and they are adding new elements without being scared of interrupting the formula itself; while others try to implement achievements in a way to not only extend the game time but also to force players to interact with levels more than just running through it, 3D World invites you to to mess around with its various new mechanics without feeling off. It's quite the opposite: the game rewards you for fucking around and gives you even more than you have asked for. Yes, there are a lot of games with boxarts that have Mario's face on them, but once you see a 3D Mario for a home console, you should prepare for something special. I don't think that Nintendo's current home console strategy is effective and there are many other flaws within the company that need to be solved fast, but when there is one thing that I'll always admire them for is their game design; wether be it as a player or game developer. Those games teach a thing or two about what's really important in games - and probably the reason why Nintendo is home to the best video game designers in this galaxy.
3. BioShock Infinite ; Forget all the talk about ludonarrative dissonance and other made up bullshit terms that mean nothing - because Infinite presents a brutal world with a brutal story. Don't let the stellar art design, which is consequent from doors to food cans, mislead you: Infinite presents a colorful fake world which deceives itself day by day since its inception, a world that seems happy on the outside yet is rotten at the inside - everything which is explained in the probably best payoff in a FPS game since years. The game has it's flaws and yes the middle part can be rocky, and yes a certain boss fight seemed unnecessary repetitive. But I'm thankful that a first-person shooter tries to burst out of this shitty military-bubble that the genre currently is going through; responsive gunplay and Sky-rails as a interesting and innovative movement mechanic help to make Infinite's combat feel unique. I remember a thread which said the game shouldn't have been a FPS - nonsense, we need more brave FPS games like Infinite.
4. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ; Nowadays it seems like the norm that games go batshit insane, yet all of them look pretty much insincere when compared to Rising. This game isn't crazy because the developers behind it thought that 'crazy' is the new fancy thing like 'noir' was once; it's crazy because the developers themselves are nuts. The plot manages to top itself from time and time again when it comes to ridiculous turnarounds and encounters, yet it manages to transport its important and serious core very subtly. Behind all the perfectly executed gameplay mechanics and the merciless 60-FPS-paradigm this games bows down to is a message about the world and the changes it has underwent, and how we need to be careful of making the right decisions in the future. And all that while PlatinumGames reinvents the action genre for the oomph time with a simple yet deep combat system that relies on parrying, observing and striking at the right time. How PG managed to make this simple system incredibly addictive? Nanomachines, son.
5. The Last Of Us ; We all love our third-person shooters, we all like cinematic elements at times and we certainly enjoy engaging stories - but many devs who try to do all these things at the same time seem to overlook other important parts of their games and what you'll get in the end is a unbalanced product that should have been in the oven much longer. What NaughtyDog's A-Team offers though is the full package: a cast consisting of the most believable video game characters, a presentation that easily tops several Hollywood productions and well-rounded gameplay that doesn't redefine the wheel but does its job. And that's the thing with TLoU: its stealth-mechanics don't go deeper than Manhunt, the gunplay feels like Uncharted at first until it gets much better with fully-upgraded weapons and the pacing is similar predictable to previous Naughty Dog games or their imitators' games, and yet it all just works flawelessly together. It's the game that everybody this generation wanted to make but no one really managed to do, it's a game that defines the generation because it is defined by it, and that's okay - as long as you get a package as polished as this. NaughtyDog do what they do best and do it better than almost everybody else - and thankfully, this won't be the last that we'll see from them.
2012. Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition ; I remember playing Demon's Souls and enjoying it, but I couldn't finish it since the copy of the game wasn't mine and the buddy who owned it wanted it back. And then, Dark Souls came - I liked Demon's Souls, but I didn't exactly love it, so I didn't buy the console version at launch and waited until they announced the PC version which is why I chose to jump in even later. And I hate myself for it, because Dark Souls is one of the best games that I've ever played in my entire life. I remember playing Ocarina Of Time when I was young and the sense of adventure I felt while moving Link through the fields of Hyrule, and Dark Souls gives me the exact same vibes, yet it creates a even better atmosphere because the game's rule set are rather harsh. Many claim that the game is difficult, but it actually isn't - it is just bloody honest. Every mistake you make is a mistake YOU make, every wrong step you make is a wrong step is that YOU make - we often think of huge ass dialogue trees when it comes to choices and consequences, but the prime example should be from now on Dark Souls' gameplay. Dozens of sub-mechanics give the combat system a feel of a simulation and work differently under different circumstances which is why the most important ability you must have when playing this game is a ability that many of us have forgotten because of simplified designs: learning. You are a dumb player if you think this game is unfair - you are a enlightened player if you realize what a masterpiece this game actually is. When people take [insert-franchise-name] and ask developers to "make it more like Dark Souls", then what they're actually saying is: make your game much, much, much better.
1. Zelda A Link Between Worlds; mindblowingly open, puzzles had me trying out every solution and it felt so good figuring things out for myself.
2. The Last of Us; prettiest game this year for sure, tops the list in terms of presentation.
3. Fire Emblem Awakening; not the best Fire Emblem game by any means, but certainly the most accessible, and probably the most replayable.
4. Bravely Default; I'm only 25 hours into this, but already a very solid jrpg that integrates sleep mode and streetpass so effortlessly, the game continues even when I'm not playing.
5. Rogue Legacy; incredibly addictive, and the first time I've ever been so into an indie game on PC.
Can only pull up a top 5 until I start grasping at straws.
1. Bioshock Infinite
2. Diablo 3; Very glad I skipped the PC version and got the best version on the 360
3. Metal Gear Rising Revengeance
4. Tomb Raider
5. Muramasa Rebirth; I feel bad for people who played this game without a jump button
5. Grid 2
6. Hotline Miami; Works great with the Vita's touch screen
1. The Last of Us ; A masterclass in storytelling and gameplay, though that's understatement of the year. Just utterly incredible, from that prologue start to that utterly amazing end. Naughty Dog delivered, but again, that's understatement of the year. This is a revolution in storytelling in games.
2. Grand Theft Auto V ; It seems I may be in the minority who loved GTA IV, but GTA V improved over IV in the biggest way possible. And yeah, Online was a bit of a bastard in its few days/weeks, but get a good group of friends together, it's amazing fun.
3. BioShock Infinite ; People loved it. Then peopled hated it. I fall into the former. Columbia is one of the best crafted worlds I've ever seen in a game, moreso than Rapture in my opinion. Gameplay was basic (and perhaps slightly predictable) but enjoyable nonetheless and Baker/Draper were brilliant as Booker and Elizabeth.
4. Tomb Raider ; Quite ironic that this was considered to be inspired by Uncharted when the first UC was said to be inspired by the original TR. Anyways, that's not the point. What I'm trying to say is I enjoyed Tomb Raider a lot and I'll definitely be buying the PS4 version next month.
5. Persona 4: The Golden ; [Out in EU this year] Because it's Persona 4. With added awesome. What else needs to be said about it at this point? It's the best RPG I've played in modern times.
6. Tearaway ; Media Molecule really nailed this. Just an absolutely ridiculously stupidly fun game. Shame it didn't do as big numbers, but it really is terrific.
7. DmC: Devil May Cry ; To hell with the haters! I enjoyed this a lot. Ninja Theory brought a lot of flair and style to it but had that DMC feeling to it also. Fantastic. I hope a Ninja Theory sequel comes, but looking like that won't happen. Shame - it should.
8. Animal Crossing: New Leaf ; My first Animal Crossing experience. I was more or less peer pressured into buying it, expecting I'd spend a little more than 2 or 3 hours with it. It was actually a lot closer to 20 hours. It really was lovely. If it weren't for Bayonetta 2 or X at the start of the year, I would have sold my Wii U by now. Now, the expectancy of those two + an Animal Crossing for Wii U at some point.
9. Saints Row IV ; The best possible parody of both the games and entertainment industries I've ever seen. It's not a looker and there's a few bugs then and there, but otherwise, it's just fun. Probably the most pure fun I've had in a game this year.
10. Spelunky ; [Out on PSN and PC this year] Daily Challenge. Enough said. That was what sold me on the game. It's brilliant.
x. Metal Gear Rising ;
x. Papers, Please ;
2012. Halo 4 ; Because it's the only game from last year I finished for the first time this year.
1. The Wonderful 101; Hideki Kamiya hits it out of the park once again with his finest game yet. Full of excellent combat mechanics and action that gets crazier and crazier all the way up to the conclusion. The story left something to be desired but the gameplay more than than made up for it.
2. Super Mario 3D World ; Super Mario Galaxy 2 reached heights that seemed impossible to reach this game comes close to surpassing them. From the first world to the last nothing but a good time.
3. Legend of Zelda: a Link Between Worlds ; Finally, a new zelda free of any tutorials and padding where the world is not locked down by item requirements but by your own motivation to go and skill of figuring out how to get there and what to do when you get there.
4. Metal Gear Rising: Revengence ; You got your platinum in my metal gear! who would have thought such a combination would produce a fun action game brimming with challenge and awesome boss fights?
5. Pikmin 3; Beautiful art style and fun well designed gameplay my main reason for picking up a wii u and I don't regret it pne bit.
6. Etrian Odyssey 4 ; feels like a modernized ps1 rpg and I love it deeply for that. Both the art direction and music are fantastic.
7. Shin megami tensei 4 ; The world map is confusing and the new demon designs are pretty unappealing I still enjoyed this immensely due to the battle mechanics and demon negations
8. Animal Crossing: New Leaf ; Played this game for 100 hours and still have not done everything. The best animal crossing to date
9. Fire Emblem: Awakening ; Not my favorite fire emblem but still an excellent srpg, some characters were great and others were annoying but the gameplay is still excellent
10. Grand Theft Auto V ; The world is beautifully crafted and the story is okay too, did not really enjoy any of the missions outside of the heists
x. The Last of Us ; Great story if not a bit predictable but I could not get into the gameplay too much and I struggled to finish it
x. Ni no Kuni ; Loved the animated cutscenes and art style but the battle system could get a bit hectic at times
2012. Hotline Miami ; A fun game with an excellent soundtrack that makes bashing someones skull in with your boot seem like harmless fun
1. Super Mario 3D World ; I know 'fun' is kind of a buzzword, but this is the game that I've had the best experience with this year bar none. Both alone and with my friend, it's a blast - charming and beautiful with wonderful level design. Probably not quite as good as Galaxy, but still a top tier Mario game. When Mario is on his game, ain't no stoppin him. 2. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons ; 3. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies ; 4. The Last of Us ; 5. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; 6. Papers, Please ; 7. Grand Theft Auto V ; 8. The Wonderful 101 ; 9. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag ; I honestly never though I'd ever put an AC game in a list like this. You did good, Ubisoft. 10. Tearaway ;
1. The Last of US Resident Evil 4 is my favorite game, The Last of Us hits a lot of the same notes for me and adds an incredible story. Also loved the intense melee combat.
2. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Amazing game and proof that games can tell stories using strictly gameplay.
3. Tomb Raider Very good game, had some quirks but overall the exploration, upgrading, combat and set pieces were all great.
4. Devil May Cry Fanboys gonna hate, I enjoyed this game as much as DMC3 and more than DMC4.
5. Rogue Legacy So much fun to play, especially after you figure out you are suppose to die a lot. Lots of style and creative ideas.
6. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag Pirates.
7. Rayman Legends Best 2d platformer I have played in years, and holy shit the art.
8. Bioshock Infinite
9. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
10. Resogun
1. The Last of Us ; Expertly crafted and finely tuned gameplay doesn't get enough credit, that heart wrenching ending was perfect.
2. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate ; 4P LAN parties were a blast, 200+ hours and I rage quit after being insta-killed by a G-Rank Black Diablos.
3. Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; Devious puzzles and mechanics, best stereoscopic 3D in a game ever, wish Hero Mode wasn't phoned in.
4. Dragons Dogma: Dark Arisen ; DD was already amazing and then they made it more like Dark Souls - I am totally okay with this.
5. Tomb Raider ; They made me actually care about Lara Croft for the first time, they actually out-Uncharted Uncharted at times
6. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag ; The perfect setting for AC, naval gameplay was so fun, Abstergo parts didn't overstay their welcome.
7. Beyond: Two Souls ; Core combat was surprisingly fun and fresh, great water cooler moments as a result of the branching storyline.
8. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn ; Props to Squeenix for having the dedication to fix FFXIV, some of the best storytelling seen in an MMO.
9. Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus ; A return to form for one of my favorite game franchises, weapon and gadget design is great as always
10. Super Mario 3D World ; That moment you realize youre a fat Italian plumber wearing a fuzzy cat suit, co-op is a blast.
x. Bioshock Infinite ; Great story and world design, gorgeous visuals, the combat and RPG elements left a lot to be desired.
x. Grand Theft Auto V ; Astounding detail and variety in the world but the story and gameplay (especially progression) fell flat for me.
2012. Persona 4 Golden ; Loved the detective themed story, endearing characters, town exploration and dungeons were lots of fun.
1. Super Mario 3D World; Pure Fun from start to finish. Extremely polished and platforming gold, I was initially surprised myself at how much replayability this game offered. It didn't have to rely on heavy cinematics either, just simple efficient gameplay, how I like it.
2. Grand Theft Auto 5; This huge game was tied at number 1 with Mario but I wanted to give it to Mario just because I feel it's underappreciated. Anyway, the scope and detail to this game is the best I've witnessed this generation. Sure it wasn't perfect (Praying for ps4 version), but it did exceed my expectations.
3. Pokémon X; Over 100 hours spent on this game, the new typing gave the game an edgy feel. I Had loads of fun with catching these new pokemon, and the improved 3d graphics worked out in favor.
4. The Last of Us;
5. Bioshock Infinite;
6. Zelda: A link between worlds;
7. Animal Crossing: New Leaf;
8. Battlefield 4;
9. Luigi's Mansion 2;
10. Tomb Raider;
1. Dragon's Crown ; Great Art, gameplay and Monty Python references. Easily my favourite game this year.
2. Remember Me ; Genuinely surprised at how much I enjoyed this. It had a lot of good ideas but just didn't do enough with them.
3. Metal Gear Rising: Revengance ; Nanomachines, Son.
4. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen ; Dragon's Dogma was almost my GOTY when it came out. Dark Arisen is a good addition but is let down by the same problems that hampered the original.
5. Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk
6. Puppeteer
7. Resident Evil Revelations
8. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
9. Gran Turismo 6
10. Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus
1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ;
2. MLB 13: The Show ;
3. Grand Theft Auto V ;
4. The Last of Us ;
5. Paper's Please ;
x. Bioshock Infinite ; Brilliantly crafted environments and art styles, great level creation, however; gameplay did not interest me for long. After part way through I was generally bored with the gameplay, but kept playing for the story and the environment. I cannot give it an official spot in my GOTY list because I believe gameplay is the most important piece in a video game.
x. Super Mario 3D World ; I do not own a Wii U (yet) and I have no completed the game, however; I have had the pleasure to play significant portions. The gameplay is top notch, some of the best I've played. Level design is excellent, and at sometimes, twisted. One more excellent game like this from Nintendo and I will be buying a Wii U.
2012. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive ;
1. Brothers: a tale of two sons ; the first game I know that successfully employs kinesthetic rhetoric in its message and pulls it off marvelously. With great pacing it may be short but is exactly the right length, managing to be a sweeping epic but remain intimate. A hero's journey that's nevertheless tragic, where it's love and loss instead of strife that creates catharsis. Interestingly it's also the only game I can think off that contains characters that are crying, not forced or for comedic effect, but heartrending wailing at genuine loss. That moment was a total shock as it uprooted what I expect games to do and had me more emotional than anything in games.
2. Papers Please ; Strangely addictive game, where the story is told through the relatively simple mechanics. The low quality aesthetics actually enhance the Soviet theme (or at least the Westerner's look at Soviet themes . Interestingly the fun little game provides great insight into the machinations of corruption in statist civilizations, and makes it fun in the progress.
3. Tomb Raider ; yes this game was overly, disgustingly or comically violent. The story unraveled near the end. There was way too little tomb raiding. But by golly this game was just unadulterated fun from beginning to end. Automatic cover and gunplay felt just so good. What I found really impressive though was that you played as an actual woman. Not TnA to ogle at (previous Tomb Raiders, many other games), nor a dude with breasts (Mass Effect et al). The transformation from hunted to hunter may have transpired a bit too quickly (but that nighttime woods area!), however Lara still felt well rounded and believable. Passed the Bechdel test with flying colors too. My wife really enjoyed playing the game, getting a higher completion rate than me, and that accounts for something too.
4. Super Mario 3D World ; Not as good as Galaxy, but that's only the best game ever. 3D World is simply charming as hell, and still has all the tactile fun of the Mario 3D playground we're accustomed to. It's also the first time multiplayer works in a Mario game. I seriously doubted this game. I was wrong. In Tokyo EAD we trust.
5. The Wolf Among Us ; another game that had me more intrigued, angry, desperate and mournful in two hours of running time than the forty hours bloat of AAA games trying to justify their budget. Showing that writing in games can in fact be decent.
6. GTA V ; Part 4 is my worst game of the generation, so I wasn't hyped for this. But this game was a massive return to form and easily my favorite GTA. The character switching and fun missions did wonders to ameliorate the tedium that always made me stop playing the games before the end. I also think the game looks better than next gen, with the lights of the city at night blinking in the distance to be especially believable yet luring. If only the Housers could actually write a compelling story and didn't confuse plot for plod, this game could've been something really special. Now it was just good.
7. Gone Home ; A really sweet love story. I thought the game was a bit clunky (running like a dog on my laptop even though it didn't look very special) and I guess there was too much emptiness and conveniently placed notes for me to really make it work. But then I thought hang on how many sweet love stories do we have in games?.... yeah this has to go on the list. It also helped that I was nostalgia'ing hard throughout, being an eighties/nineties kid.
8. Pikmin 3 ; I think the gameplay is fun and interesting, but what really sells me is the sci-fi tilt-shift atmosphere. It's Nintendo's version of Pixar at its best.
Honorary mentions: The Stanley Parable, Bioshock Infinite, Rayman Legends. They're all good, and would normally round up my top 10 (well eleven), but they're also all flawed and I would kind of regret it if they got points that elevated them above the ones that are on my list.
1. The Last of Us; TLOU is a landmark achievement for this medium. This past generation developers tried to bridge the gap between cinematic film narrative and video games. The Last of Us is the first time these two came together seamlessly, and showed that it was possible. While the story isn't new, it's themes and presentation is a new step for gaming. The game's mature themes forces the player to examine humanity at its darkest, as well as our own needs to survive. But the real power in this game is the relationship between Joel and Ellie. They are an evolution of what game characters can be, and proof that characters in games can be just as powerful as actors in film. Ultimately what makes the Last of Us great is that it has all of these elements blend together seamlessly, and the lines between game and cinema are impossible to tell.
2. Dota 2;
3. Fire Emblem Awakening;
4. Super Mario 3D World;
5. Zelda: A Link Between Worlds;
6. Grand Theft Auto V;
7. The Wonderful 101;
8. Pokemon X & Y;
9. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag;
10.Beyond Two Souls;
I'll add my summaries soon.
I'm actually surprised by how many games on my list are Nintendo games. I grew up with Nintendo, and I love them as a company (despite their flaws). But over the past 5 years I gravitated away from them. Most of my favorite games came out on other consoles. But this is just a testament to how strong this year has been for them (both on The Wii U + 3DS).
If Persona 4 Golden counted, it would have been my favorite game I played in 2013. Although it technically game out in November 2012 (and obviously years earlier in its original release). I also got around to Virtues Last Reward in early 2013. Honestly, Virtues Last Reward + Persona 4 were probably my two favorite games that I played in 2013. But they don't count. Just thought I would mention.
1. The Last of Us ; This game gets my GOTY. It left the biggest lasting impression on me and that's a considerable feat since it was released in June. I played it all in one day and it was that addictive. The story was some of the best writing and scripting I've seen in a video game, the acting was top notch. The game completely maxed out the PS3 and it was fun to play. TLOU didn't do anything new or innovative, what it did do was take what was already great and perfected it. The stealth mechanics were well done, the AI seemed smart, the variety of makeshift weapons and upgrade system made sense within the lore of the game. The game also evoked emotional responses from me and I'm usually one who shows very little emotion when playing video games. I don't even like zombie, infected, or undead (call it what you want) games, but this game went more for story and stealth then survival horror and I didn't have infinite ammo to kill the infected. The two main reasons I put it ahead of my 2nd and 3rd place game is because it was a new ip launching at the tailend of a generation, something few publishers were willing to do this gen, and most that did do it, failed (Beyond, Fuse, etc.).
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; This game would have been first place if TLOU wasn't a new ip. My first Zelda game was OoT and so I found it hard to go back to the top-down view Zelda games such as LTTP and the handheld variations, but there was something about ALBW that pulled me in. It had that retro feel of a LTTP but surpassed it in so many ways. The out of order dungeon progression, the renting of items at any time instead of getting them in a dungeon and using them to beat that dungeon, the sticking to walls power, there was so much new about this Zelda that gives me hope for the future of the franchise instead of it becoming predicable and old.
3. Super Mario 3D World ; SM3DW, just like TLOU, didn't too much new to the genre or franchise, but what it did do was execute platforming mechanics beautifully. The game was charming, challenging, inviting, full of content, colorful, and demonstrates some of the best graphics the Wii U has seen. It may not be the true sequel to a Super Mario Galaxy or Super Mario 64, it is an excellent 3D Mario. It may have scored higher on my list if it wasn't the 4th Mario in the last three years.
4. Fire Emblem: Awakening ; This is my third FE and first that I played on a handheld (the others were for the GCN and Wii). This is by far the best FE I have played. The create your own protagonist, the story, the multiple characters that you actually care about, the multiple strategies, tactics, formations, and overall battle mechanics are some of the best in the SRPG genre. My favorite trait of the series is the permanent death of characters if they die, it really makes you think about your moves and who may become a necessary sacrifice or who best pairs with who. The relationship system was also a great new mechanic that not only made characters stronger in battle together, but made you aspire to talk to all squad mates between missions to get these pairing bonuses. It is my RPG of the year for sure.
5. Pikmin 3 ; Pikmin 3 to me is the first true game that showed Nintendo's capabilities of HD development. The game is absolutely gorgeous, the lightning, texture detail, and depth of field are some of the finest I have seen on a console game. Nintendo somehow managed to make controlling three heroes workable, and built puzzles around that teamwork. The new pikmin are cool and open up new gameplay possibilities, the game is challenging but rewarding and losing a Pikmin is never easy. Overall it was a memorable game for me and was my game of the summer.
6. The Wonderful 101 ; This game was my most anticipated for the Wii U launch window so when it was delayed I expected it to be for a good reason. The final product didn't disappoint. While it's not GOTY material for me, the new IP was frantic, full of action, colorful, different, used the GamePad effectively, and was a rememberable experience with lot's of content and all at a smooth 60fps.
7. Rayman Legends ; I never played Origins so I was skeptical about the game. It was a Wii U exclusive in the beginning so I preordered it and even when it was delayed I kept the preorder. While other people were playing GTA V I was playing perhaps the best 2D platformer on Wii U and maybe even best 2D platformer on all consoles of 2013. The art style, the 1080p graphics, the 60fps smooth gameplay, the challenging levels, some of the best platforming I have ever seen, and of course the music was top notch. The game being delayed ended up making a better product and the game has tons of modes and content (including remastered Origins levels for people like me who skipped it).
8. Pokemon Y ; I haven't finished a pokemon game since gold back in 2001. I would either quit at victory road or even earlier. I even skipped the Gen IV games. But I couldn't resist coming back to the franchise when I saw a fully 3D experience, animated pokemon battles, mega evolutions, and the original 150 pokemon in the game. While it didn't offer as much exploration or different paths as previous entries, it was an epic game full of awesome moments, tons of battles, lots of hours of gameplay, and one of the deepest pokemon games of all time. My passion for the series is reignited for the first time in a decade.
9. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon ; I got to the final boss of the original LM but never did finish it. I wasn't too hyped about the sequel for the 3DS. I'm glad I bit the bullet and bought the game. The puzzle solving was so fun, the combat was much better compared to the original, and I've always been a Luigi fan, so it being the year of Luigi made this game so much better for me. The best way to describe it is a Zelda/Metroid-lite with the backtracking and puzzle solving and tricky combat.
10. New Super Luigi U ; This game wasn't even going to be on this list until this past xmas when I decided to revisit it as my only unfinished Wii U game. After giving it a chance and 100% clearing it, I absolutely loved it and had a blast. It was so fun and challenging, using Luigi is so different but fun, and as a Luigi fan it was a perfect tribute to me. I almost want to say it's a better game then NSMBU, but that's up for debate.
x. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
x. Bioshock Infinite
x. Tomb Raider
x. Tales of Xillia
1. Super Mario 3D World ; See my review here.
2. Pikmin 3 ; What can I say about this game? I last played a Pikmin game in 2004 or 2005, when I was barely (or not even) a teenager. Tastes change over time. So as you can imagine, when I decided to pick up a Wii U just for Pikmin 3, I was taking a huge risk. What if I bought the system and didn't like the game? The risk paid off, thankfully, and I was treated to a marvelous, marvelous game. The controls, using the Wiimote, were perfect. The difficulty is very passive, but an aggressively hard game Pikmin 3 wasn't meant to be: the challenge comes from competing with yourself to achieve as much in a single day as you can accomplish. Technically this game isn't the best out there, sure, but it's a beautiful game with a wonderful atmosphere. The mini-RTS that encompasses Pikmin's gameplay is addicting, satisfying, and intuitive. The only major problem with it was the last area. Though that was probably from the way I was mishandling it.
x. The Last of Us ; I completed four games released this year. They were: TLoU, BioShock Infinite, Pikmin 3, and Super Mario 3D World. The reason why TLoU and BI are going in the honorable mentions is because I want to visualize how much more I like Pikmin 3 and Super Mario 3D World than those two. The Last of Us is a gorgeous game, with a good narrative, and wonderful atmosphere. But as with all Naughty Dog games this generation, it's the gameplay that brings down the entire experience. I thought the objectives were unclear (as in getting from point A to point B), leading to many frustrating deaths. I thought the gameplay was unsuitable for zombies: the controls were...clumsy at best. ND purposefully gimps Joel in the beginning so that you may "upgrade" later on. I don't like it when a game weakens mechanics in the beginning so you may have some sort of progression later on. I think it's better game design to start you off powerful and allow you to grow more so while appropriately increasing the difficulty (and not by adding more enemies and giving them more health). I also didn't like fighting the game while aiming (stupid moving reticule). The beginning is also very boring: you're walking slowly down many linear paths for at least twenty minutes. I don't think ND knows how to design gameplay encounters in that they don't know how many enemy AI to put. I hated the "MASH SQUARE" mechanic, and Joel is a selfish asshole.
x. BioShock: Infinite ; I was a huge fan of this game when it first came out. I defended the gameplay vociferously, but...well...I tried to go back to it again later on in the year, and I just couldn't finish it. I wasn't having fun. I had no idea what changed. Wonderful atmosphere and a good story, but if a game doesn't have good gameplay it's not going to find success with me.
1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds : the last time I enjoyed a portable Zelda was when I had a gameboy advance. after the disappointing DS Zeldas I wasn't expecting much from this game, but It ended up being one of my favorite Zeldas of all times, and (for me) the best game of the year.
2. Dota 2 ; Probably the most fun I've had in a multiplayer game, even after 700 hours played, every match feels like a fresh experience and I keep learning new things.
3. Fire Emblem Awakening ;
4. Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies ; really missed this series, can't wait for the next one now..
5. Super Mario 3D World ;
6. GTA V ; I was sure this was going to be my GOTY 2013, but even after playing it and realizing how good it is as a GTA game, its story and online made it kind of a disappointment.
7. Rayman Legends ; Rayman Origin was already a really good game, this one makes everything that was already good, even better, probably my second favorite sidescroll platformer (from the Wii/360/PS3 gen) after DKCR.
1. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate ; Intense combat where mastering it is incredibly rewarding.
2. Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; Zelda is a series I've looked forward to playing everytime a new one comes, but for a long time the new releases has been underwhelming, this one however, avoids the hour long intros and endless tutorials the lastest installments has had, and the more open world and fast-paced nature of it makes it a blast to play.
3. Pokémon Y; Mainline pokemon games remain as enjoyable as they have ever been, and gen 6 doesn't dissapoint.
4. Europa Universalis 4 ;
5. Etrian Odyssey 4: Legends of the Titan ;
6. Fire Emblem: Awakening ;
7. Bravely Default ; Despite a weaker story than I had hoped, the gameplay was great and kept it rarely stopped presenting new challenges.
8. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies; Phoenix is back, and the fifth installment delivers just what I wanted from the series.
9. Luigi's Mansion 2 ;
10. Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy ; A fitting end to Laytons second trilogy.
x. Animal Crossing New Leaf ; I was still burned out on Animal Crossing since Wild World, but it still kept me interested for a long time.
x. Mario and Luigi: Dream Team Bros. ; Solid game that tends to drag a little to much at times.
2012. Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition;
1. Shin Megami Tensei IV ; Loved the style, the soundtrack, the craziness, the art, the story, the outcomes, the everything. Being a sucker for "grim and depressive"-ish tones (Nier, Death Note, Evangelion, Attack on Titan, FMA at least towards the end, etc. Not really sure how to describe it), this game absolutely absorbed me. This game is evidence of how style can be key in achieving a connection with the player. My surprise of the year and ultimately my game of the year. So sorry Europe...
2. The Last of Us ; Do I really need to explain why? It's a brilliant experience. It's an emotional roller coaster and one of the bests, if not the best, character representations in the history of gaming.
3. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn ; What a lovely world Yoshi-P has managed to create alongside Soken's tunes and Yoshida's art. A world worth exploring and admiring until its very last corner. All that with a great dose of classic Final Fantasy story and themes! And finally, an MMO that is very friendly toward filthy casuals like me (I don't have as much time as I wished for an MMORPG nowadays). This game is beautiful, fun , and feels like a second home.
4. Grand Theft Auto V ; This series keeps getting better and better, and Grand Theft Auto V was no exception. While I did not care much about the story, honestly the game is pure fun. The heists were amazing missions, specially if you go rambo imo.
GTA V Mini Gun mission was boner inducing madness.
I still have a lot to do in Los Santos...
5. Bioshock Infinite ; A surreal tale. A carefully crafted setting bound by its very particular set of rules welcomes players to a game full of imagination. While gameplay may not be the strongest merit the game has, it's by no means a flaw either. Featuring likable characters and a complex storyline that to many may probably border on pretentious, I had a blast enjoying this game.
6. Fire Emblem Awakening ; The now classic Fire Emblem formula executed smoothly. With a welcome change in art direction, this game also introduces tons of charming characters and a godly soundtrack (the 3DS speakers make no justice to it). Addicting!
7. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; Yes the game is short and easy, but it's also very fun. A great execution of the Zelda formula, in a more retro-esque fashion that ended up being a lot more fun to me than the massive Skyward Sword.
8. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ; I played the demo and liked it. Played the whole game and I was not liking it as much as I expected it to. BUT...dat final boss. That final battle and dialogue made the game so worth it. Nanomachines, son.
2012. The Walking Dead ; I know it's not that much game, and it's more like an interactive story. But the story was great and so were the characters and choices. It was emotionally devastating
I did play other 2013 titles like Animal Crossing: New Leaf or Gone Home, but imo only those I listed are the ones worth a GOTY mention. That's why my list is only up to 8.
1. Dota 2 ; I'm not sure what Dota 2 is yet. It's easy to ascertain its genre, its structure, its intertwined mechanics, its attractiveness and repulsiveness, -- but not where it actually ends, where it is "complete" and understood. It's more of a force than a system or even a guiding principle. Yeah, really, I'm not sure what Dota 2 is yet. I'm still learning.
2. Super Mario 3D World ; Many people who love Mario games love them for the gameplay. I more of an admirer (and envier) of other people's boundless creativity.
3. Papers, Please ; Is being good at something good? This is one of those "Gotcha, you were playing, you're complicit!" kind of games, but its design (the game itself, the sound and the visuals) are almost above anything I've seen this year in that they dovetail with each other until, looking back, you can't tail which part did what.
4. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; I'll be honest: I just really like the remixed music, a lot.
5. Spelunky ; I don't really like this game, but I keep playing it. I think this is a fitting spot.
6. The Wonderful 101 ; [will add later]
7. Tearaway ; [will add later]
8. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon ; [will add later]
9. Fire Emblem Awakening ; This is a better Fire Emblem game than the Fire Emblem games before it. That's quite enough!
10. Toki Tori 2 ; read here
x. Grand Theft Auto V ; dishonorable mention, I don't like self-satire much, be it intentional or not. This game "thinks" with the limitations of a postcard. Yeah, this is funny, this is beautiful, this is crazy, -- but in the end I'll flip it around and discover that it was banality addressing me.
x. BioShock Infinite ; dishonorable mention, read here
x. Europa Universalis IV ; honorable mention, I haven't played enough of it to fully form an opinion yet, but I think I'm really gonna love this.
x. The Last of Us ; honorable mention, I had wild expectations for this game which the first little Uncharted sequence crushed mercilessly. I'm a sucker for American pop culture and its mentalities, though, which is why this pulpy mess of a TV show I wouldn't want to watch, themes the novels and movies it draws from have explored better and more intelligently and gameplay mechanics I'd otherwise find dissatisfying made it something worthwhile for me personally.
BioShock Infinite ; I checked the screenshot-gallery from my playthrough a few days ago... guess all the vocal haters got to me over the last 6 months, because I needed that story recap to remember just how AMAZING this game was. How beautiful Columbia was but also how much all the violence reminded me what cruel reality was tried to be hidden in that place.
The Last of Us ; Probably the best video game story ever written that doesn't rely on any "what the fuck just HAPPENED?!"-surprise moments.
GTA V ; what can I say... 50hours in and looking forward to some DLC. Liked every character in the game, everything felt like it was made with the highest QA possible.
Guacamelee! ; I'm just a sucker for metroidvania-style games.
Rayman Legends ; it just makes you happy playing it, glorious art style.
DmC - Devil May Cry ; yeah... I can hardly believe it myself, but combat was fun and hitting those insane combo-ratings felt really good.
Tomb Raider ; Great looking game, felt very thought through on the gameplay side(or well copied), had fun, but didn't like Lara... story was like watching the most uninspired modern-day teen action-horror flic.
2012: Sleeping Dogs ; DAMN I totally see coming how much I liked this game.
Shame I haven't played Saints Row IV and Tearaway... also that I will never get to play Legend of Zelda: A Link between Worlds, because I'll probably never have a 3DS. Also a shame that I have both Xbox ONE and PS4 and no game from nex... curre.... THAT gen(anyway) made it to my list.
I played a bunch of games but a majority are from the previous few years. I haven't completed most of the games I bought in 2013 so I'll only list the ones I've played and completed to be fair.
1. Super Mario 3D World ; I admit that I doubted EAD and once again they put out one of the best platformers available on any console. It feels like I'm playing with magic.
2. GTA V ; After GTA IV being such a disaster, I was close to skipping on this. I'm glad I didn't because it was one of the best GTA experiences ever. The characters were great and the missions much more diverse than the previous games. A huge plus was bringing back airplanes. This was close to being my personal game of the year until Mario came out.
3. Fire Emblem Awakening ; I finally made it halfway through the game. Everything from the gameplay to the OST has been a treat. I've never gotten into Fire Emblem prior to this game but something just clicked with me and I've been enjoying it so far.
4. Pokemon X/Y ; I didn't think it was as good as Black/White, but it was a good transition into 3D. The first half of the game was slow but it picked up nicely after the 5th badge. The latter half of the game had some of the most memorable tracks I've ever heard.
I haven't finished ALBW yet so I can't really add them to my GOTY, though they're definitely up there. I didn't really enjoy Bioshock Infinite so I'm not going to bother listing it.
Okay I just played a bit of Metal Gear Rising and I am disappointed in myself for not including it before in my GOTY list. Holy fuck you guys should try this out its insanely fun and for once I'm using that phrase in the literal sense.
1. Fire Emblem Awakening ; never before had I been so glued to a screen then when I played FEA. As my first Fire Emblem game, the strategy and combat system were great (turn-based ftw), and everything just melded together well. The support conversations were addicting, as I had to gain access to EVERY SINGLE ONE. I liked the characters a bunch. I just liked it a bunch.
2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; Zelda's my favorite series, and to me, this game is one of the best 5. Although I wasn't sure about the game due to feeling meh about ALTTP, when I played the game the previously dull world (TO ME) woke up and became so much better. I also REALLLY enjoyed the item system and exploring dungeons at any order, as puzzles were designed for multiple solutions and the original game is one of my favorites because of the crazy non-linearity
3. Super Mario 3D World ; Truth be told, I don't have a WiiU yet. But my relative does, and when I got this game for him and we played through it, it was a blast. The levels were really nice. An "ice world" always had a variety of levels with multiple themes that weren't always related to "ice". The boss battles are greatly improved compared to the other 3d Marios, and SO MANY POWERUPS. My only disappointments were that the double cherry wasn't used it enough and the final boss, while eing a REALLY cool idea, felt a bit meh.
4. Tearaway ; the only game I really liked a bunch for the Vita this year, Tearaway consistently managed to impress me with its creativity and looks and mechanics and essentially everything about it. Not much more to say
5. Animal Crossing: New Leaf; My life is lost. I am addicted. The game is amazing.
The sheer fun and addicting nature of Animal Crossing is remarkable. It's really hard to explain, but it does so much right. Characters are cool (except you Hazel. Screw you) The world is nicely developed. And you can just relax and enjoy yourself.
6. Pikmin 3 ; This game is just awesome. Gorgeous visuals that make me want to eat every fruit I collect, and the awesomeness that is having an RTS branch off that is so unique and flavorful while retaining a high standard of quality.
1. The Last of Us
2. Tearaway
3. Papers Please
4. Gone Home
5. Super Mario 3D World
6. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
7. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
8. State of Decay
9. The Stanley Parable HD
10. Attack of the Friday Monsters
You people must have a lot of time for gaming! I haven't even played 10 games this year! In fact... I won't be ready to pick a top 10 for 2013 until this time NEXT YEAR!
1. Pokemon X and Y; Some of the best Pokemon I've played. Even if it has less new Pokemon than every previous generation introduced, they're some of the best Pokemon period.
2. Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies; Fantastic Ace Attorney game. The focus on 3 main characters was great, as was the new Mood Matrix.
1. Super Mario 3D World ; Pure, unadulterated platforming bliss. This is the perfect blend of the exploration-based styles of SM64 and Sunshine and the more linear style presented in the 2D Mario titles. There's just tons of replayability to be had with collecting stars and stamps, as well as completing every level with all the playable characters. The levels are expertly designed, and I could probably count the number of levels I disliked on one hand.
2. A Link Between Worlds ; My new favorite top-down Zelda game. Unlike the more recent Zelda games that felt a little too bloated, this one trims all the fat and brings you a game that doesnt want to waste your time at all. Link controls perfectly, and the rental system along with being able to tackle the dungeons in any order you want, makes this game one of the most unique Zelda games in a long time. Also it has that tantalizing 60fps deliciousness.
3. Bioshock Infinite ; By far my favorite single player FPS of the 7th generation. Unlike the previous Bioshock games, the gunplay feels amazing, and the Vigors all seem very practical and can be extremely fun to experiment with. The story itself is also incredibly well made, with tons of memorable moments and great character development. Its also one of the most beautiful FPS games out there, being filled with tons of colors, a nice change of pace from the typical brown and gray palette we see so often.
4. Pokemon X/Y ; This is pretty much Pokemons Greatest Hits. Instead of the method they went with Gen 5 by only having Gen 5 Pokemon, they went the opposite, including Pokemon from all generations and distributing them throughout the world so that each gen is almost equally represented. It also showcases all the new features very well, and the integration of the more competitive side of Pokemon into the main game is a very nice touch that really did a good job showing the potential of a more serious look on the series. The game itself also has a pretty interesting story with a very cute, memorable cast of characters.
5. The Stanley Parable ; An extremely thought provoking, silly, and sometimes even disturbing look at the video game medium. The subtlety in its writing and visual gags really makes for a short, but hilarious experience that could basically be described as a humorous criticism of modern video game storytelling.
6. Metro: Last Light ; A massive improvement over the previous game. Last Light is a very fun stealth-based FPS with some interesting characters and atmosphere that really gives off a Half-Life-ish vibe. Its also one of the best looking games on the PC.
7. Dota 2 ; This game is completely inaccessible, and Ill probably never get good enough to actually play it seriously, but I had a ton of fun with it. Theres enough variety in the heroes that youre bound to find one you enjoy playing, and its nice to see a F2P game done right.
8. Animal Crossing: New Leaf ; A cute casual game thats just really relaxing to play. The amount of content in the game is really amazing that allows you to customize your house any way you want. Its pretty interesting how they manage to make mundane chores like weeding and paying off loans actually really fun.
9. Antichamber ; Quite a mindfuck of a game. The puzzles are really out there, and sometimes I wonder how the hell the creator thought of this stuff. The atmosphere is also very unique, being a mix of calming and unnerving, perhaps even creepy sometimes. Definitely one of the weirdest games that came out this year.
10. HarmoKnight ; Basically BIT TRIP RUNNER on super easy mode, which for me isnt a bad thing. While its really easy, its got a good amount of replayability and really catchy music. My only main problem is the length, with it being only about 2-3 hours long. Still its nice to see GameFreak doing more than Pokemon again.
x. Mario and Luigi: Dream Team ; This game has some major pacing issues, but its still a really fun Mario RPG with some great humor.
x. Sonic Lost World ; Okay yeah this game has some major level design issues later in the game, but I still found it fun. The music is great, the controls are actually pretty good, and the parkour mechanics are really neat and allow for a lot of experimentation and I hope Sonic Team keeps it for future games.
You people must have a lot of time for gaming! I haven't even played 10 games this year! In fact... I won't be ready to pick a top 10 for 2013 until this time NEXT YEAR!
Would it be possible to distinguish between honourable and dishonourable mentions, perhaps with x. vs y.? I'd hate for something that I've mentioned as dishonourable to have a vote counted positively.
1. The Last of Us ; Best story. Best character development. Best voice acting. Best console graphics. Best writing. No game has ever made you care more about the characters and the journey they embark on. The game is painfully realistic in human emotion and interaction with one another. The amount of discussion that resulted on the internet as a result of this game is a testament to the superb writing and story telling. Gameplay was very good for a survival game. The challenge was high. Sneaking past infected added a thrilling and fearful dynamic. Simply put the best combination of all elements that go into creating a fantastic game. To sum this game up in one word, Winter.
2. Bioshock Infinite ; The world of Columbia is fascinating. It feels like a twisted version of Disneyland. The sound, music, and character dialogue all create an old, yet at the same time modern steam punk type world. This world is arguably the finest point in the game but Bioshock Infinite shines in so many other ways. The story telling is engaging. Examining how the human psyche of sinful human beings deals with past atrocities and leads to a downward spiral of mental anguish from which there is often times no return. The story is mysterious through most of the game but gives it all away at the end. This may be the only knock against the game in that you are presented with the entire culmination of the story in the ending sequence instead of more consistently throughout the game. The game play dynamic of Elizabeth opening tears brings a lot to the table of first person shooters. Vigors and power ups keep the player engaged. And lets not forget the song Will The Circle Be Unbroken.
3. Tomb Raider ; The setting of Tomb Raider once again is unrivaled. I might dare to say I have never been drawn into a location as much as I have in Tomb Raider. The mysterious and stormy island is an adventurer's dream. The visuals depicting this were truly next generation. From the rain, lightning, thunder, snow, wind, and fire, Tomb Raider was a spectacle. Gameplay was top notch and rivaled any game in 2013. The bow was extremely fun to use. Although the characters and story were not the most engaging, these are easily overlooked with the world, gameplay, set pieces, and overall adventure. In my book an adventure game does not have to have a story on par with Bioshock Infinite and The Last of Us. Good ol fashioned fun.
4. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; The game is the SNES smash A Link to the Past in just about every capacity, which is a good thing. Given how beloved ALTTP is, ALBW keeps the consistent feel and sound of the world we grew up with. The only negative to all of this is that it can be construed as too similar. Many heart pieces are in the same location. Many of the bosses are exactly the same. But the dungeons and puzzles are fresh. The 2D interaction with walls adds a completely new element, especially in the final encounter. Story is typical Zelda with nothing new. But that is Zelda and it's what we love.
5. Crysis 3 ; Crysis 3 surpasses other first person shooters of 2013 because quite frankly it is not the same military driven first person shooters we see over and over in the likes of Call of Duty and Battlefield (and even Halo for that matter). These military shooters become repetitive in nature and although Crysis 3 can suffer from repetitiveness as well, it gives the player a super soldier to control rather than a regular soldier. Cloaking abilities are akin to playing as the Predator. In addition, Crysis 3 brings about a much more fictional and interesting culmination in story which is not as realistic as stand alone conflicts in the Middle East and Russia. The Crysis game engine is a marvel in and of itself but given how well Battlefield is presented the comparison is about equal.
6. Mario Party: Island Tour ; You have to play with three of your best friends to appreciate this title. Every Mario Party is always a great time to get they guys together, buy some beer, and crack some jokes for a few hours. The newest installment on a handheld is no less fun than any of the console versions. The 3DS adds innovative ideas to mini games. The boards are fresh where objectives are mainly to reach the end of the board first rather than accumulate more and more stars. Play it with your buds and you'll see for yourself.
7. Resident Evil 6 ; The PC version released this year was every bit as fun as the console version released last year. And when I say fun I mean co-op. Play co-op over the internet and this game really shines. More games need to implement story mission co-op akin to the current state of Resident Evil. Splitting up, helping each other out, opening up areas for one another, playing as each of the 7 different playable characters, all add a very fun experience. The PC version even ups the anty with improved visuals. Can someone say Ada Wong? Regardless of the over-the-top action the series has morphed into, the game remains extremely fun to play and keeps the pedal to the medal throughout. These characters are just bad ass through and through.
8. Resident Evil Revelations ; OK so I already mentioned a Resident Evil game and truth be told, I probably only played the 9 games on this list in 2013. But given this is my list, I'll round it out with RE Revelations. The PC port was great. Taking a 3DS game and giving it this makeover for PC was pretty impressive. The game still feels like a handheld in length and substance but it is a nice addition to the RE series. Setting this installment on an infested cruise ship is eerie in its own regard and is something the RE franchise had yet to explore. If you're and RE fan you'll enjoy this game.
. Interestingly the fun little game provides great insight into the machinations of corruption in statist civilizations, and makes it fun in the progress.
