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[Abylim]

1. Metal Gear Rising Revengeance ; Oh my god. I didnt know what to expect when I picked this up. From the very beginning when you take on a fucking MG as semi normal Raiden, to the very end where I'm kicking the shit out of a senator, the soundtrack pumped me up, and the gameplay kept me coming back. Dat feel when you perfect parry, repeatedly. When you kill a boss without taking a scratch?!!? DAMN. I need to go back through and S rank everything, I just have so many games to play through.
Havent touched the DLC, is it worth it?

2. The Last of us ; My time with this game was great. I lost most of my progress on the first night thanks to the save bug. That in itself almost stopped me from playing. I'm glad I stuck with it. Every stealth section was tense. From the start til the end I was emotionally invested, and hadnt felt that since TWD by telltale. I didnt like the limited ammo, especially since it seemed so silly (I have a big backpack, you telling me i cant fit 10 more bullets somewhere?.) Very memorable, and am currently going through on Survivor+.

3. Bioshock Infinite ; It gets a lot of flak, but another game that gave me goosebumps when I finished it. Everything seemed to click, and I loved the twist. My friend watched me play some of it, then went out and bought it. I enjoyed everything about this game, very rarely did I get frustrated by some game mechanic. Thoroughly enjoyed the story, the world, the music and the characters.

4. Tearaway ; Lovely game that once again surprised me. I didnt know about it til it was out, I didnt hear any hype for it, or if I did it never registered. It really did rekindle the feelings I had when I first played Mario 64. Charming game, and I usually hate touch screen or picture stuff in any game!

5. Tomb Raider ; This game is a mixed bag for me. I loved it, but the trophy hunter in me got frustrated. I got a bug where I couldnt complete a task at the very end, and had to reload a save from a long time ago. Really enjoyed the game play, the story was meh, the premise was never realized, but i enjoyed this game enough to make the middle of my goty list. I loved upgrading, hunting, and searching for things.

6. Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch ; I anticipated this game, greatly. I wasnt really let down. The story was good, but the combat is what got me. I loved the old school vibe, and the pokemon esque monsters. Played it til completion, and then did most of the end game sidequests. Beautiful game, wish there was more.

7. Soul Sacrifice ; Grabbed this game on a whim, and ended up playing it for about 3 weeks while I tried to do everything in this wonderful game. Went full chaos to begin with, then switched to 50/50 so i could solo a lot better. Story was different, hell, the whole concept felt pretty fresh to me.

8. Guacamelee ; Another surprise for me. Heard about it on here, grabbed it 'cuz it was cheap at launch, and didnt stop til I platinumed the sucker. The combat was simple but fun, the platforming was incredible, especially at the end. Ridiculously good game.

9. Dragons Crown ; This game didnt live up to my expectations, but had a blast nonetheless. The loot whore in me loved it, loved the combat and character growth. Just felt like it was lacking something to make it incredible.

10. Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory ; Yes yes, I know what kind of game this is. Having played the first two, enjoying them for the most part, but realized the flaws in them, this one was like a warm hot chocolate on a cold day. Everything finally felt right, the combat especially. I felt the story was still short of the charm of the first, but serviceable. Its a toss up for me, this or Xillia for tenth. I went with this simply because I couldnt put it down. Where as Xillia I am struggling to complete, still.


2012 Vote. Virtues Last Reward ; an amazing game, I pretty much didnt stop playing it until I got the true ending. I cant say alot due to spoilers, but simply incredible characters and a decent twist!

 

[F-Pina]

1. Dragon's Crown ; What an amazing game. If my 12 year old self would ever got his hands on this it would freak out. Game of the year for me.
2. Dota 2; The game I most spent time playing on, specially during the beta. I haven't played it much since it got Gold, but oh boy is this game good.
3. Ni No Kuni ; Another beautifull game. This was truly a remarkable year. I haven't finished Ni No Kuni yet but if I had to pick the game with the biggest heart, this would be it.
4. The Last of Us ; The journey of Ellie and Joel just comes to prove that videogames have so much more to offer. Can't wait to see what is in stores next for the Naughty Dogs.
5. Resogun ; The shooter. Every generation has it's shooter. And this is it.
6. Pupeteer ; Beautifully crafted, always a delight to play and hear. A true gem of a videogame that goes under the radar for many players.
7. The Stanley Parable ; My friends asked me to sit on a chair and "experience" this new game. We all had a blast.
8. Rayman Legends ; Come back Rayman, we like you!
9. Guacamelee! ; Such style! Such substance!
10. Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time ; It's Plant's vs Zombies alright. And now that they fixed it it's even better.

x. Murder in the Hotel Lisbon ; How could I not mention my own game? I had too, even if at least to get a mention in my games of the year. I mean, I spent more time making and playing it that any other game this year.

2012. FEZ ; I arrived late to the party but I got there. Awesome game from last year that I only played this year.

 

[Des0lar]

1. Dota 2 ; Simply the most time I've ever put into a game and it never stops to amaze me. I literally spent thousands of hours and still feel like I just scratched the surface of the game. And I want more. Much more!

 

[comadorcrack]

1. Gone Home ; A beautiful story presented in a fascinatingly engaging style of play. Really makes me pause and think about what the medium will be able to achieve in years to come.

2. Last of Us ; One of the few 'mature' games out there that I would really consider mature! Thoughtful and reflective story telling, and realistic characters mixed with exceptionally fun and tense gameplay.

3. Pokemon Y ; Pokemon is my favourite series ever, and if it wasn't for the two titles above would have been my favourite game this year. Love the new pokemon, love the new type, love it all. Spent more time on this game than any other this year.,

4. Thomas Was Alone ; Different coloured rectangles became some of my favourite characters... well ever. Grumpy Chris and Super Claire being the stand outs. I know this game was a 2012 release, but I got it on PS3 which was out this year.

5. Killer is Dead ; If I had a list of the worst games of the year this game would probably reach the same rank on that. I love and hate this game. Its fun, colourful and fascinating; but also confusing, self indulgent and misogynistic. Even though I personally had a great time with it, if anyone asked for me to recommend it to them I would do my utmost to veer them away from it.

6. Link Between Worlds ; I didn't realise how much I liked this game until I finnished it. Got it, played it until completion and then thought to myself, "Hang on, I didn't put my 3ds down since the moment I started playing it. This game was awesome". Some of the purest Zelda gameplay in years! Excellent.

7. Metal Gear Rising: Revengance ; I wanted so badly to tie 7 and 8, but rules are rules. And Metal Gear wins on seniority. I always had issues for Platinum games, because I think they get a bit repetitive after a while (Madworld and Vanquish). But Revengance kept everything feeling fresh and funky all the way through. Played great, but the story wasn't up to snuff. It was wacky and convoluted like other metal gear games, But I don't think it quite had the characters to pull it off.

8. Bioshock Infinite ; Could have been one spot higher, but also lost points for being up its own arse. (If anyone tells me Gone Home is just as bad, I will fight you in the streets naked!) The story was overdone in the end and the alternate dimension stuff was in danger of being nonsensical, but it still had a lot of good things to say, as well as having interesting characters and when the combat arenas were big and open plan, the gameplay felt taught and very organic.

9. Tomb Raider ; Pretty damn good. Took a lot of cues from uncharted, but did them well and had some very memorable set pieces. Did feel a bit fetishistic with its violence sometimes, but fun is fun and Tomb Raider was just that.

10. Cloudberry Kingdom ; Speaking of fun, Cloudberry is also some of the most fun I had all year. And also some of the most pain. Balls Hard, but damn satisfying.

 

[Hasney]

1. Persona 4 Golden (EU) ; Feels almost like a waste of a vote seeing as the majority got it the year before, but since this was the year I played it anyway, it is easily my game of the year. Great battle system and one of the best cast of characters I've ever played with makes this one of the only JRPGs I'd actually want to see a '-2' sequel too following the events of Arena.

2. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies ; I will never get tired of this series. Love every single twist it provides and the only game this year that had me yelling at the screen during the last case. Absolutely adore it and cannot wait until it's out of my mind so I can replay it again.

3. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ; After the tragic gameplay of DmC, this was the greatest mouthwash in the world

4. Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut ; Playing it again on PC reminded me that it's one of the most wonderful games to ever come out. It's wonky and ugly, but somehow it just exudes this charm that makes you forget all that. Thank god for Jim Sterling? Without him, I may never have discovered this gem with his glowing review of it

5. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag ; I completed Brotherhood, but no other AC game ever grabbed me. This felt like 'Pirates!' all over again with some shoddy story tacked on that I largely ignored. Who cares about assassins when you can just plunder ships and take over towns?

6. Super Mario 3D World ; I played this with a stupid grin plastered all over my face. I think during the first world, I was quoted as saying by my housemate "AHAHAHA I'M A CAT"

7. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; Seems like a step forward in mechanics. Hope the full fledged console one picks some things up.

8. Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure ; I feel like I'm the only major Scribblenauts fan left. I just adore this game still. Giant angry passive scared purple 60's Batman? OH YES.

9. Grand Theft Auto V ; Looking at the rest of my list, replayability is a big part for me and since the multiplayer didn't hold up, it knocked the game down the list. Phenomenal while it lasted though.

10. Papers, Please ; My favourite indie. I love Spleunky and platform games like that, but they don't bring a lot new to the table. This was a complete breath of fresh air.

2012. Awesomenauts ; Must have bought this in some Steam sale and forgot about it, but I decided to try all games with trading cards to get the drops. Started it in alphabetical order and got on this right after fiddling with Alan Wake and I stopped my quest right here purely because I started playing this a lot. It hooked it's claws into me and now I cannot wait for the sequel.

 

[lifeexpectancy]

Man alright I'm going to give this a go, but this is a tough one.

1. Dead Rising 3; I simply had more fun with this game than any other game this year. I jumped in and started playing and it was instantly familiar as a DR1 and DR2 fan, but at the same time different just enough and better overall. It felt like the game 1 and 2 were trying to be.

2. Rayman Legends; Best platformer of this generation, let alone this year. Incredibly fun, very intuitive, and perfectly challenging at times without being absolutely ridiculous or requiring pixel perfect platforming.

3. Max Curse of the Brotherhood; Another fantastic platformer, albeit simpler and shorter than Rayman was. Great fun though and more approachable for the less skilled in the family.

4. Magic The Gathering DotP 2014; In the card and board genre, it doesn't get better (for me) than MTG. I played the card game back in the 90s right after Revised first made its appearance. I recently bought back into it with some boxes of the newer sets as well as some old staples and a few oddities like Mox Diamond. This digital version gives me that MTG fix I need when I'm not in the mood to drag out the box and build decks for my wife and I to play, which is good because her attention span lacks a tad.

5. Killer Instinct; What can I say? Not only do I get the classic version, but I get a new version that kicks ass and reminds me why I loved the original. It's not as hard core as games like Super Street Fighter as far as 2D fighters go, but it's fun as hell. Just don't try that 1000gamerscore completion unless you want a grind.

6. GTA V; Just a superb accomplishment considering the limitations of launching this game on previous generation hardware. It's hard to find fault with anything in the single player experience. I tend to just ignore that the MP experience even exists though.

7. Bioshock Infinite; Despite the failings in the story telling part of the game, and the absurdity with trying to point out certain societal inadequacies without ever exploring them, and the utter failure to tie in the whole 'infinite universes' concept in a way that makes sense, the game was still fun, looked good, and had a moody atmosphere, which I liked. They're lucky the fucking Clash in the Clouds DLC didn't drop them out of my top 10 though, because I'm sick to death of tacked on horde-mode bullshit in games that should be about the single player campaign and storyline.

 

[Fjordson]

Had to edit Fire Emblem into my list. Game is amazing!

 

[haikira]

8. Batman Arkham City; This is my LTTP, VERY late as a matter of fact. I picked up the GOTY edition this year. Being a completionist made me absolutely hate them for making me do ALL the combat and predator challenges with ALL FOUR characters for 100% completion, but I can't deny that the core game apart from the challenges was great fun, had a great story, and was spot-on for the series and at least equal to Arkham Asylum, if not improving on it.

I think you'll need to change the formatting for your LTTP pick, to something like this.

10. Game J ; Your thoughts on Game J.
x. Game K ; Your thoughts on Honorable Mention Game K.
x. Game L ; Your thoughts on Honorable Mention Game L.
2012. Game M ; Your thoughts on Game M from 2012.

EDIT: Actually, is Arkham City even eligible? It was 2011. Or can it count, because of the armoured edition for the Wii U?

 

[lifeexpectancy]

I think you'll need to change the formatting for your LTTP pick, to something like this.



EDIT: Actually, is Arkham City even eligible? It was 2011. Or can it count, because of the armoured edition for the Wii U?

I was actually counting it because the GOTY edition came out in 2012, but that's stretching it a bit. Part of my problem is I'm a cheap ass and don't play games the year they come out usually. The launch games are kinda an exception. I was actually editing my post to remove Batman as you wrote that lol.

 

[demidar]

I was looking through the eligible games list, and I saw Resident Evil: Revelaitons.

Is it intentionally misspelled?

 

[Regiruler]

I was looking through the eligible games list, and I saw Resident Evil: Revelaitons.

Is it intentionally misspelled?

Well I mean it's not like capcom can spell it right either.

 

[Hullo To U]

1. Tearaway: It even has you in it...
2. GTA V: A truly fantastic multi-player launch
3. Persona 4 Golden if it counts since that came out down here...

 

[demidar]

Well I mean it's not like capcom can spell it right either.

I'm well aware of that, I'm just saying it'll screw up the parser.

 

[Vol5]

1. The Last of Us ; Finally a game that can be taken seriously for both game-play and story. Truly lived up to the hype and had me connected emotionally throughout. This year, in my opinion, The Last of Us more than any other game pushed video games forward.

2. GTA V ; Filled with humor & fun I can see myself playing and re-playing this for an eternity. And honestly I just don't understand how Rockstar managed to cram this game into a PS3 or 360. Truly an achievement on it's own.

3. Bioshock Infinite ; A great ride from start to finish. Not the Bioshock 1 killer I was hoping for but still a superb experience.

4. DOTA 2 ; Requires about 100 hours of persistence from the start to get a handle on what is going on, but once there and it clicks, it's a very hard game to not play....and it's F2P!!.

5. Tearaway ; Using the VITA to it's full potential, I was pleasantly surprised at how accomplished this was as a platformer. It also looks and sounds fantastic.

6. Diablo 3 ; Couldn't fathom the love for Diablo after trying the demo on PC, but for whatever reason it clicked with me using a PS3 controller. Lots of depth and a tonne of fun when taken online.

7. Resogun ; This game probably more than most gets overlooked when it comes to awards but it's free with PS+, shows off the PS4 potential, feels great and can be a monster challenge on the higher difficulties.

8. CoD Ghosts ; Controversial for sure, but simply due to me investing more time than any other game in the last month, this has to make my list. It's really not that bad in MP. It's actually a lot of fun apart from a few terrible maps.

9. XCOM Enemy Within ; Only just started to play this but it's already feeling like my life will be sucked away until completed.

10. NFS Rivals ; Yeah, a great racer. Dat drifting. Ghost nailed it.

 

[Phoenician_Viking]

1- Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ; very good and challenging action game
2- Guacamelee! ; while i dont play 2D platform era anymore i was surprised that i liked this game so much. Very challenging platformer and very funny.
3- Remember me ;

 

[Cheesemeister]

I'm well aware of that, I'm just saying it'll screw up the parser.

LOL

 

[Baron von Loathsome]

I'm well aware of that, I'm just saying it'll screw up the parser.

The parser will automatically tabulate name variations, so you can list your games pretty freely, as long as you avoid confusing abbreviations.

.

 

[demidar]

LOL

Ah well, I don't know if anyone has it on their lists anyway lol

 

[kurbaan]

1. The Last of Us ; Not really sure what more there is to say about this game. Amazing gameplay, characters and story. I almost never play games twice but this game I after recovering a few days from the end, just restarted the game because I had to go through it again. I really didn't wanna part with the characters. Probably the top contender for Game of the Generation from me.

2. Legend of Zelda: ALBW ; The only zelda game that kept me interested enough to finish. Pretty much with all of the others I just got bored part way through and quit. But this game was paced amazingly, all the dungeons although short never overstayed their welcome which is better to me that a super long dungeon that won't end. Just a really good game, had so much fun exploring, figuring out the puzzles (Even if they were easy).

3. Metro: Last Light ; After years of on rail shitty FPS games this shooter actually gave me that classic FPS vibe from something like Half Life. I can't believe this game was so overlooked, I couldn't believe how good it was. Great shooting mechanics and amazing atmosphere. Really loved the world of that game.

4. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ; First this game had the BEST boss battles in recent memory. The action and the music for each boss was soooooo good. Ripping apart people and then ripping out their spines for their lovely life juice. The final battle was kind of a pain but rest of the game was just too good.

5. Bioshock Infinite ; Good story, not so great shooting. Would have been higher on the list but I felt it was worse than the first Bioshock. But still a very good game in the end.

6. Pandora's Tower ; Massively overlooked JRPG. Has a nice story and interesting mechanics. Kinda reminded me of ICO a bit the way you take care of the girl. Everytime you stay out a bit too long in the dungeon and see her turned into more of a monster in pain it just hits you in the heart.

7. Hotline Miami ; Was initially turned off by the graphics but I'm glad it was free on plus. One of the best Vita games of the year. This game is just pure fun. One of the Best sound tracks of the year as well. IF a game can make you constantly die and repeat a level for 30 mins and you are still hooked then its damn good.

Thats all I can think of to put on this list. Only just started Fire Emblem and haven't played a few of the other big games this year yet, but these are the only ones I felt were worth a mention.

2012. Dishonored ; I cannot believe I missed this game last year. I'd say this is game of the year for 2012. Loved the stealth, the blink and the world. How the gameplay affects the world, the characters reaction and weather was really amazing. It was a lot more impactful than just good / evil see bad ending, see good ending. Open ended levels really reminded me of Theif. If this came out in 2013 it would be number 2 not this list.

 

[Sapphire Dreams]

1. The Wonderful 101 ; I bought the Wii U just for this game because I trusted Kamiya to bring a quality product and he did not disappoint. Not only that The Wonderful 101 delivers one of the most original and creative combat systems in many years, it does it while making some old conventions (namely, QTEs and set pieces) fun still as if they were still fresh and new.You control a group of colorful superheroes in an isometric perspective for the most part to defeat the alien invasion on Earth. You use the the Wii U pad to draw gestures that resembles weapons which each hero uses which also chooses the hero you want to play as, and there are seven of them, each with their own style, strength weaknesses and secrets they can unlock. There is immense variety in the enemies and environments in this game with each level having a new set of enemies to fight against and new set of obstacles to overcome and each and every single one of them are crafted to perfection with no dull moment. Platinum made their best game this year and gave me a sense of satisfaction I missed when I complete games and that's why it's at the #1 spot.

2. The Last of Us ; I didn't know what to think of this game when it was announced. Naughty Dog never did a horror or zombie themed game before and after the disappointment that was Uncharted 3, I was skeptical about The Last of Us and I thought it might not live up to expectations, boy how wrong I was.Naughty Dog made one of the best cinematic games I played this generation and the best part is that the presentation doesn’t get in gameplay’s way (well,most of the time anyway).This game is intense, exciting and overall was a very memorable experience. While the sniper sequence made me cringe a lot of how badly designed it was, there is no denying that the rest of the encounters in this game are really well done and never feel the same. All the areas look and feel different yet you know they all belong in the same world. No game did world building in 2013 (from the ones I played anyway) better than The Last of Us. Pretty sure gamers will still remember Joel and Ellie years from now when someone mentions the PS3 and what were the best games on it.

3. Rayman Legends ; Pure imaginative joy is what I call this game. Rayman Legends is the only game that made me smile from start to finish because of how joyous everything in this game is. The change in the artstyle gave a slightly different feel than Origins but the basics are still intact. You ran around an obstacle course and get to the end without dying while collecting as many collectables as you can. And thankfully all of that is done without any sort of time limit so it gives you a chance to plan your way ahead.The level design in this marvelous game is one of the best that was ever created for a 2D platformer in years. It’s challenging but not frustrating, silly but not stupid, it has collectables but they’re not necessary yet they’re not tacked on. It really is a game that had a lot of love and passion put into it. And I have to admit I originally had this game to be at the #1 spot until I played the games above. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve recognition as one of the best platforming games in the past generation and I am not saying that lightly.

4. Papers, Please ; This has to be the biggest surprise in 2013 for me. Papers, Please takes the theme of security vs freedom and explore it through border control. You play as an officer working for an authoritarian country ,who has to process papers for people who want to enter your country for job hunting, visiting a family member, tourism , etc. You are a family man and the more you let people in, the more money you get to take care of your family to buy them food and pay the rent.What’s so brilliant about Papers, please is that it probably does moral choice better than any game I played in recent years. Sometimes you face a person who has no complete papers and he/she begs you to let them in, and that will compromise your career and eventually affect your family. Or maybe you are faced with a suspicious figure but he offers you cash to let him in, you might put the country in danger but your family will get some food to eat. It makes it really hard for you to make the right decision or even figuring out the right decision. i hope game developers examine this game and see how they could effectively put morality into the game mechanics instead of making it a binary choice.

5. Fire Emblem : Awakening ; This probably the best game on the 3DS right now. It’s has addicting and deep strategic gameplay that is really engaging and lets not want to put your 3DS down one bit. It has what a lot of SRPGs lack these days which is a very competently done difficulty curve which makes for a very well paced games. It has a very diverse cast of characters that you’ll grow to like in the many hours you’ll spend with them playing this fantastic game. There is a lot of content here to make sure you’ll charge your 3DS many times before you're done with it. And it does contain a great set of DLCs that you should check out as well if you bought this awesome game.

6. DmC: Devil May Cry ; Probably will get the award for one of the most divisive games of 2013 as well. DmC is the reboot of the classic hack and slash franchise which takes it into a new direction with the new western developer Ninja Theory, previously know for games like Heavenly Sword (which I liked) and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (which I hated). Thankfully, DmC is far better than both of them.DmC is a fantastic action titles that has emphasis on accumulating combos to defeat your enemies and have a better score. It does away with a lot of annoying modern tropes like QTEs and token RPG elements. While the enjoyment I had with it did not supras it’s pedigree (with the exception being DMC2), it’s still a fantastic title and one of the best games I’ve played all year.

7. Assassin's Creed IV : Black Flag ; I thought I was done with the Assassin’s Creed series but a friend gave this game to me and I was genuinely surprised of how good it was. Naval battles added variety to the gameplay that the series needed and was a great change of pace after stagnation and the awfulness of Assassin’s Creed III. Edward is actually a really good protagonist and has a lot of relatable traits but enough unique ones to differentiate him from the rest of the protagonists of this series and I liked the ending for once. Here is hoping the series can improve like it did with Black Flag.

8. Metro Last Light ; It’s a hard task to make a beautiful game. But it’s even harder to make a game look hauntingly beauteous. Metro : Last Light embodies that perfectly. It is a very well developed post apocalyptic world that truly feels alive. You when you see all the ambient dialog and activities of the people of the metro, you truly get a sense that you are inside a world not a game. Inside a very harsh world where survival is only for the fittest. Not to mention it does have a very good selection of weapons which you should use carefully and it does have the option to stealth kill your enemies to preserve ammunition. All that makes it my favorite FPS of 2013.

9. Bioshock Infinite ; There is a lot to love in Bioshock Infinite. Art direction gives the game it’s own unique look, voice acting makes the character believable in relative to their setting and the overall presentation from music to animation makes Bioshock Infinite quite a marvel to behold. But,there is no denying that there was a lot of wasted potential in this game. The world of Columbia could have been more open, I wanted to explore the outskirts and streets like I would with a real city. but sadly, I can’t even explore it like I did with Rapture. I also wish the gameplay was less repetitive and an encounter with a certain boss fight along with the last level were done differently.

10. Super Mario 3D World ;Not much to say about this game, it’s a better version of Super Mario 3D Land with few twists and new additions here and there. While it was really fun and contains fairly well designed levels. I always got the feeling of “Been there and done that.” I wish Nintendo were a bit more ambitious with their franchise like they did with Galaxy or even Sunshine. That being said, it is still one of the best games of the year. It has a lot of content and a really fun cooperative multiplayer action. it is without a doubt a good reason to own a Wii U if you haven't already.

X. Gone Home ; This a charming game. It is an interactive short story about a girl running away from home to peruse her dreams. The story is very simplistic but well done and voice acting is surprisingly good for a budget title like this one. While I enjoyed it, it's not worth getting back into.

 

[Brashnir]

1. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies ; I'm a bit conflicted with putting this at the top of my list, not because I didn't enjoy it, but because of what it is as a game. The Ace Attorney games were never really impressive on the gameplay side of things, and this one streamlines it to the point where there's even less of a game in there. That said, the puzzles in AA games were often obtuse and unnecesarily specific such that you could figure out the answer but fail to present solutions in the exact intended order, leading to penalties and frustration. The streamlining of the penalties and failure states mean that you can give more of your attention and time to the parts of Ace Attorney which are the real draw – The story and characters. As a direct follow-up to Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, this game spins an amusing yarn, and does an excellent job of straddling the line between introducing new characters and using characters from previous games. It gives enough old favorites to sate your nostalgia without it becoming on overbearing parade of “remember me?” moments. The DLC case is also substantial and entertaining, without feeling like it was ripped out of the main game, which clocks in at around 25-30 hours.

2. Rogue Legacy ; This game, on the other hand, leaves me with no thoughts of conflict on the gameplay front. Using the name “Rogue” in the title is a bit misleading, as Rogue (and pure roguelikes) is a game about a player learning to overcome obstacles more efficiently on subsequent playthroughs, and occasionally relying on the random elements to deal them a good hand. Rogue Legacy, on the other hand is more about improving your in-game character to overcome challenges. Sure, you'll get better as you play as well, but adding permanent upgrades to your character really flips the overall dynamic on its head. At its core, this is a game about grinding, only the grind is accomplished by normal play through the dungeon. Excellent controls, solid enemy variety and 4 distinct environments in the castle make the grind a blast, and that's the best thing you can say about a game built largely around grinding.

3. The Pinball Arcade Season 2 ; I'm not sure if this one qualifies. The original game came out in 2012 on most platforms, and 2013 on others, and “Season 2,” is a collection of 10 table packs (totaling 19 tables) released in 2013. If that doesn't qualify it for the list, so be it – Delete at will. That said, Season 2 features several of my favorite tables released for TPA to-date, and I got more enjoyment out of Flight 2000 alone than all the games ranked below it on the list.

4. Shadowrun Returns ; As a long-time fan of the Shadowrun universe, I was excited to see this get Kickstarted. The development team did an excellent job of translating the tabletop systems (which, honestly, have always been kind of a mess) into a competent and entertaining combat system which superficially resembles both tabletop Shadowrun and 2012's XCOM: Enemy Unknown. The game is a bit rough around the edges at times and definitely shows its low-budget roots from time to time, but it was a fun, satisfying experience from start to finish, and didn't wear out its welcome with a lot of unnecessary padding.

5. Super Mario 3D World ; As someone who always wished the Crash Bandicoot fixed-camera style of 3D platformer had become widespread rather than the Mario 64 style, this game (along with 3D Land on the 3DS before it) has finally brought the style back, after over a decade in hibernation. Unfortunately, I don't expect any other developers to pick up the torch and continue with it, but I'll take what I can get, when I can get it.

6. Resogun ; Having been a fan of Housemarque's Super Stardust HD on the PS3, I was a bit worried about whether or not I'd like this game. I was always a fan of Asteroids as a kid, but Defender always bored me to tears. Thus, I expected Resogun, which is very obviously inspired by Asteroids, to not really be my cup of tea. Thankfully, getting it for free with PS+, coupled with the wasteland which was the rest of the PS4 launch lineup gave me the urge to give Resogun a chance, and I'm glad I did. I don't love everything about the game, but it's a well-designed arcade shooter. One design choice, in particular highlights the good choices when designing Resogun: When you save the humans stranded in each level, you get a big chunk of points, which is critical for expert players going for high scores. In addition, however, you also often get extra lives and shields, which are critical for new players still learning the game. The levels in Resogun are tough, and getting these bonuses can be the difference between a newcomer clearing a level and getting a game over. This keeps new players engaged and playing long enough that they begin to learn how to parse the visual madness on screen and improve their play.

7. Grand Theft Auto 5 ; GTA is one of those series where it gets way overhyped prior to release, and way over-hated post-release. It seems to happen with each installment, but the campaign in GTA5 managed to scratch the itch I have for these games, and I managed to keep myself off the hate train long enough that I still look back on it fondly.

8. Path of Exile ; I'm a long-time fan of dungeon-crawling loot games, and Path of Exile manages to hit all the right genre notes, controls well, and has an absurdly detailed character advancement system, all while being free to play. Even better, the paid side of the game doesn't include any “XP doubler” or “energy” nonsense. You can pay for a few neat little unnecessary toys, but I have yet to come across anything that even resembled a “pay to win” system. I'm still not finished with the game, so perhaps that stuff rears its head later on, but to the point I've reached, it's better than a lot of full-priced dungeon crawlers.

9. Desktop Dungeons ; This game suffers from some questionable design choices in the meta game, and an incessant barrage of popup notifications when you're in kingdom mode, but the actual gameplay in the dungeons manages to be consistently satisfying. At it's core, it's a randomized RPG where each dungeon is basically a single screen where you move around and have to clear out monsters until finally defeating a dungeon boss. Managing your resources efficiently to get the right mix of abilities, levels, and items to defeat the boss makes this into what I'd describe as a puzzle RPG.

10. Fire Emblem: Awakening ; I had never been able to get into a Fire Emblem game before. I'd tried a few, but they never really clicked with me for some reason. It was an odd situation since turn-based strategy games are one of my favorite genres. I have as yet been unable to pinpoint where this game managed to reel me in while all the other FE games I've tried have failed, but I spent a ridiculous amount of time on some scenarios, trying to complete them as perfectly as possible as I pushed my way through the campaign. The story is both poorly written and poorly presented, but serves as an adequate skeleton for the battles, which are the real meat of the game.

x. Dota 2 ; I feel a bit odd including this on my list, given that I really didn't play it at all. I did play a few matches, but not enough that I felt I really knew what I was doing. However, that doesn't change the fact that I watched an absurd amount of Dota 2 in 2013. While I'll probably never feel an urge to actually play Dota 2 (I strongly dislike RTS games, largely due to the controls, which Dota is obviously based on) I certainly appreciate the underlying design of integrated systems that make this one of the best games ever made.

2012. New Super Mario Bros. U ; I didn't have the opportunity to play this in 2012 as I didn't get a Wii U until this year. When I did sit down to play it (half before and half after 3D World), I couldn't help but be impressed by the consistently high-quality level design. It's a shame that the Wii U has sold so poorly; this game will probably never get the recognition it deserves.

 

[timetokill]

I was looking through the eligible games list, and I saw Resident Evil: Revelaitons.

Is it intentionally misspelled?

That's the official spelling.

 

[demidar]

1. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies ; I'm a bit conflicted with putting this at the top of my list, not because I didn't enjoy it, but because of what it is as a game. The Ace Attorney games were never really impressive on the gameplay side of things, and this one streamlines it to the point where there's even less of a game in there. That said, the puzzles in AA games were often obtuse and unnecesarily specific such that you could figure out the answer but fail to present solutions in the exact intended order, leading to penalties and frustration. The streamlining of the penalties and failure states mean that you can give more of your attention and time to the parts of Ace Attorney which are the real draw – The story and characters. As a direct follow-up to Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, this game spins an amusing yarn, and does an excellent job of straddling the line between introducing new characters and using characters from previous games. It gives enough old favorites to sate your nostalgia without it becoming on overbearing parade of “remember me?” moments. The DLC case is also substantial and entertaining, without feeling like it was ripped out of the main game, which clocks in at around 25-30 hours.

I consider Ace Attorney (and the Zero Escape games) a game, because it has non-canonical fail states and puzzle solving so there's some requirement for player skills/intelligence to progress.

However, the definition of video game is a bit muddled, with games like The Stanley Parable and Gone Home mechanically being walking simulators. I think we should count them as games, but then I have no idea where to draw the line between video game and everything else.

 

[stonedwal]

Probably only played ten new releases this year, first time I've felt so out of touch.

1. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ; Everything I want in a video game.
2. Grand Theft Auto V ; Loved the world this time around - just wish they'd pack in better side content.
3. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds ; Haven't got as far with this as I'd have liked, but it's executed perfectly. So happy that Nintendo dropped the handholding shit that has plagued the last few Zelda games.
4. Super Mario 3D World ; There's something so pure about this.
5. Rogue Legacy ; I had turned a blind eye to indie gaming before this came out because most of the ones I'd been exposed to were stupid hard, no-frills platforming games. This game changed my perspective entirely.
6. Papers, Please ; Minimum wage depress 'em up.
7. Tomb Raider ; Went in expecting to hate it. Came out liking it. Story is fucking terrible though.
8. Saints Row IV ; Loved this, but it's really rough around the edges, and I think the series' humour was beginning to grate with me by the end.
9. BioShock Infinite ; Not the BioShock game I wanted, but it still feels like a superbly crafted game.
10. Gunpoint ; Fantastic little game - can't believe it's the developer's first game.

2012. Dragon's Dogma ; I played a lot of longer RPG and action adventure games in the first half of this year. Dark Souls would have got this if it came out in 2012, not 2011. Loved the wide open world and the massive enemies. Combat felt right. Needed a fast travel option earlier in the game though.

 

[NullPointer]

1. Grand Theft Auto V ; The uber-game. Sprawling, ambitious, overflowing with character, humor, satire, action and endless activities. A refinement and expansion of everything great about GTA and another Rockstar triumph on every level.

2. The Last of Us ; Heartbreaking, tense, physical and psychological survival-horror that masterfully blends narrative and gameplay into one cohesive, unforgettable whole. Naughty Dog have set the highest of bars with this title.

3. Splinter Cell: Blacklist ; Is it possible to weave stealth and assault gameplay options into the same game and still have an amazing Splinter Cell game? Well by some miracle they did just that with Blacklist. Perfectionist stealth is hard as nails, and doable, and you can choose to express your inner secret agent in more linear story missions or sandbox side missions, however you want to approach it. Just an amazing free-form, very replayable game on its own merits, and one hell of a Splinter Cell ta boot.

4. Diablo III ; This game was always meant to be on the consoles and it shows. Direct control is a revelation, and no always-online requirement and no auction houses make these the definitive versions of the game right now. You can see the work that went into the UI, control and skill changes to make things work perfectly for the gamepad. Blizzard knocked this one out of the park.

5. DmC: Devil May Cry ; Gorgeous, shattered, multi-dimensional environments. Accessible combos and lightning quick controls (PC version here) tossed up against diverse enemy combinations that make full use of the battle spaces make this one a deviously brilliant action game, and loads of fun. Should have been released as "Heavenly Sword 2".

6. Assassin's Creed IV : Black Flag ; Not only a return to form, but an ambitious strike into all new territory with the open sea gameplay, with your ship, your crew, and your own greed to guide you. Ubisoft struck gold with their mix of land and sea gameplay and its cast of rogues.

x. Warframe ; The best console launch title out there. Gorgeous graphics, wonderful, if janky parkour, a truly alien and unique art style, dynamic objectives in dynamic environments under dynamic conditions, filled with varied enemies and loot and mods and plenty of reasons to lose hours upon hours in co-op, solo play, or in meticulously fine tuning your arsenal and builds. Its a great game with some bugs, but its always being updated too. Worth a download for anybody who wants to explore their inner space ninja.

2012. Journey ; A digital ritual, and a creation that has fully renewed my faith in the medium. Its heart is simple play, exploration, mystery, and shared experiences with anonymous players and it works far better than I could have dreamt. Thank you ThatGameCompany.

 

[aceface]

1. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn ; recaptures the magic of Final Fantasy, everyone complaining about the direction of FF and Square needs to play this.
2. Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon; Good puzzle solving fun and my 7 year old loves it.
3. Ni No Kuni ; Dragged a little at the end but great art direction and music.
4. Animal Crossing New Leaf ; Best animal crossing game yet, love the island.

 

[LTWheels]

1. Persona 4 Golden ; Released in early 2013 in Europe. Fantastic RPG. I rarely play long games any more. I normally get burnt out after 15 or so hours. But I couldn't stop playing almost putting 100 hours in.

2. Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons ; Just go and play this game. Make sure that you do it in one sitting; it's only 2 or 3 hours long. With game developers to trying to show 'emotions' in games by copying films, it takes a film producer to show how actually games should combine emotions with mechanics.

3. Tomb Raider ; I did not have much expectations going into this game, but it really gripped me. I had never cared about the series in the past, in fact this was my first Tomb Raider game. I really enjoyed the combat. I think that it has the best third person shooting mechanics of the generation. Really liked how the 'natural cover' position worked so well, and all four weapons are finally tuned and all fit a purpose. I'm not a fan of open world games and I dislike when games are too linear. Tomb Raider has a nice balance where there is enough exploration and side objectives for my personal tastes.

4. DOTA 2 ; I've only played about 40 hours of DOTA 2 so far, but I've enjoyed the constant learning of new heroes and mechanics. With such a high skill level there is always room for improvement.

5. Sonic All Stars Racing Transformed (PC) ; Best kart racer of the generation. An absolute blast to play. The weapons fill balanced unlike Mario Kart and it never feels like a game of luck, everything is down to your own merit and skill. 60fps makes a big difference.

6. DmC: Devil May Cry ; Really fun action game. Great combat system that easy to understand but is open enough to make you want to experiment combo-ing different attacks from different weapons. The game has some of the best environmental and atmospheric design of the generation. From pulsating nightclubs, TV news, to reflections in the river. Every environment stood out with it's creativity. The DLC is pretty good as well.

7. Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD ; This was the first time I had played the Wind Waker, and I had a blast. I've played every 3D Zelda but this is the only one I bothered to finish. I suppose it helps that it looks gorgeous and plays great, especially with all the time-saving changes that they made. I suppose if I had played this originally on the GameCube I may not have been so easily impressed.

8. Bioshock Infinite ; Wonderful world building. Although at some points it did feel like the combat dragged on a bit too much and got in the way of me wanting to see the next story-beat. Even despite a couple of bad boss fights, I still enjoyed playing that game. This kind of time travel/science fiction is right up my street.

9. Fire Emblem Awakening ; Love strategy and tactical games; and this did not disappoint. I really like it when games put you in difficult positions with mechanics such as perma-death.

10. Killer Instinct ; A fantastic fighting game that makes the mind-games of fighting games extremely accessible. Often with fighting games the actual 'game' is hidden behind an execution barrier. That is not to say that KI completely removes this barrier, there are still execution heavy techniques in the game, but how it treats the 'game within the game' is fantastic. Also has great netcode and a the best tutorial to ever grace a fighting games. I eagerly look forward to Spinal, Fulgore and story mode in the first quarter of 2014.

x. Path of Exile ; Not played enough of it yet, but have enjoyed what I have seen so far.
x. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate ; Not played enough of it yet, but have enjoyed what I have seen so far.

 

[Jucksalbe]

With all the European Persona 4 votes this year, I wonder if it could have made the top 10 last year, if it had been released earlier in Europe.

 

[mattiewheels]

looks like derrick pmd a bunch of people his list then

he must have really wanted everyone to know how much he enjoyed black flag

I'm interested in seeing his list, because I'm curious what games he thought weren't beneath his crazy standards. He's definitely a "gameplay/mechanics uber alles" kind of guy but he takes it down a pretty long, dark road.

 

[Brashnir]

I consider Ace Attorney (and the Zero Escape games) a game, because it has non-canonical fail states and puzzle solving so there's some requirement for player skills/intelligence to progress.

However, the definition of video game is a bit muddled, with games like The Stanley Parable and Gone Home mechanically being walking simulators. I think we should count them as games, but then I have no idea where to draw the line between video game and everything else.

AA definitely passes the "Is it a game" test - but I felt odd putting a game that deliberately de-emphasizes its game element at the top of my list - partly because it's better off for it in the long run.

 

[Riposte]

I'm interested in seeing his list, because I'm curious what games he thought weren't beneath his crazy standards. He's definitely a "gameplay/mechanics uber alles" kind of guy but he takes it down a pretty long, dark road.

The Walking Dead was his GotY last year, so. . .

EDIT: Ace Attorney is a true blooded adventure game with court scenes being more than just for show. (Though, and this may be what Brashnir meant, compared to previous games they're downplaying the interactivity by making failure meaningless and simplifying the adventure game aspect outside of court.) 999 and VLR are even more explicit examples of an adventure game; they have literal puzzle rooms in them.

 

[Necrovex]

I'm interested in seeing his list, because I'm curious what games he thought weren't beneath his crazy standards. He's definitely a "gameplay/mechanics uber alles" kind of guy but he takes it down a pretty long, dark road.

But The Walking Dead got his number one spot last year! I loved TWD, but no one talks about its 'stellar gameplay.'

 

[ViewtifulJC]

No one knows Derrick's taste but Derrick. He goes on and on about deep gameplay mechanics, but in the same breath will criticize Platinum games for being "just" deep gameplay mechanics. He doesn't play any fighting games or competitive multiplayer that require a lot of skill you'd think he would crave.

Who could say what's on his list. It could be Wonderful 101 or Papers, please for all we know, depending on the time of the day.

 

[Riposte]

No one knows Derrick's taste but Derrick. He goes on and on about deep gameplay mechanics, but in the same breath will criticize Platinum games for being "just" deep gameplay mechanics. He doesn't play any fighting games or competitive multiplayer that require a lot of skill you'd think he would crave.

Who could say what's on his list. It could be Wonderful 101 or Papers, please for all we know, depending on the time of the day.

Assassin's Creed 4, no doubt.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

Assassin's Creed 4, no doubt.

Tomb Raider probably in there as well, he went on and on about that game

 

[mattiewheels]

The Walking Dead.....?

Maybe he liked that one because there was no pretense of gameplay in it and the characters and choices were really satisfying on their own merits...but the way he talks sometimes, presentation and atmosphere seem to mean jack shit to him, games might as well be a wire-frame with nothing but gameplay to interest him.

 

[Levyne]

This thread's getting a little weird.

I think I'm going to also need to add Soul Sacrifice to my list in addition to Papers and probably TLoU, which I need to blitz out soon. I'll be losing RE6, Sly, and Tomb Raider, which are not great losses.

 

[theprodigy]

when did this become the Derrick GOTY list discussion thread?

 

[urge26]

1. The Last Of Us ; Lived up to every expectation and provided 2 of the most moving moments experienced in gaming.
2. Tomb Raider ; Everything felt right about the gameplay, action, pacing, etc.
3. Bioshock Infinite ; Disappointed to see some of the backlash in retrospect.. ending worth every penny.
4. Grand Theft Auto V ; Dropped a bit because I began to lose interest and still haven't finished.
5. Battlefield 4 ; Yes it's broken, but I was able to finish the campaign and actually had a good time with it.
6. Saints Row IV ; Despite it's flaws the whole superhero aspect to the game really won me over.
7. Plants Vs. Zombies 2 ; Built upon all the best aspects of the original and the free to play aspects never held me back.
8. 10000000 (Android) ; The most addicting puzzle RPG handheld game I've ever played.
9. Animal Crossing New Leaf ; My first Animal Crossing experience was well worth the wait.
10. Forza Motorsport V ; I've really enjoyed it despite the grinding aspects, my favorite Xbox One/PS4 launch game.
x. The Legend Of Zelda A Link Between Worlds ; Bought it, liked what I played just haven't had enough time to play more.
x. Dead Rising 3 ; Played enough that I know I'll return to it once we hit a lull.
2012. Dark Souls Prepare To Die Edition (PC) ; Took me awhile but I finally drank the kool-aid this year and loved it.

 

[EvaristeG]

1. GTA V ; Incredibly detailed virtual universe, actual good missions, interesting characters and dialogues, and full of content that actually worth it.
2. Dragon's Crown ; Pure old school fun blended with modern design, tons of content, gorgeous 2D graphics and perfect Vita game.
3. Bioshock Infinite ; Loved the SF, dystopian plot, fantastic artistic direction and actual decent FPS gameplay. Yes, the shooting mechanics aren't the game strongest asset, but I found enjoyable nonetheless, exploring Columbia was a fantastic experience.
4. Tearaway ; Great classic 3D platformer with an innovative graphical style, great level design and the soundtrack of the year.
5. Rayman Legends ; Pretty much the best 2D platformer I've played since Super Meat Boy. Greatly improved level design from the first game, tons of interesting content for those who are interested in more challenges (invasions missions were great) and a flawless Vita port. I didn't like all the murphy levels though, wish they were less of them, even though some of them were brilliant. Would have liked more levels too.
6. Brothers : A Tale of Two Sons ;
7. The Last of Us ; yes, it has the most annoying fans as someone pointed in a thread a few days ago, and yes it felt way too predictable to me in its gameplay and level design to me, and had pacing issues. But it was gorgeous, extremely well written, overall fun to play and engrossing as some of the best post-apolyptical movies out there, if not more.
8. Tomb Raider ;
9. Guacamelee ;

 

[Photosynthesis]

1. The Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds; I love Zelda games. I especially love top-down Zeldas, and LBW is (almost) everything I want from Zelda. Perfectly crafted dungeons, short and snappy with a gorgeous world to explore, all along with loving nods to the original classic game. It might not have the best graphics in Zelda (hello, Windwaker), it might not have the best story, but damn if it doesn't have some of the best gameplay in the series. LBW is just so much fun. This is why I play games.

More to come.

 

[Punjicide]

1. The Last of Us ; It feels a little strange to have post-apocalyptic game as my GotY twice in a row (The Walking Dead was my pick last year), and its especially strange when both

Spoiler

have themes of parenting in them

. But Naughty Dog proved themselves capable of telling a grounded narrative and unified vision, with better execution than most of their peers in the medium. The most impressive part for me, however, was simply the fact that a game with a "AAA" budget managed to have so many quiet moments, in a market dominated by bombastic set pieces. In these moments they take the time to flesh out their deeply detailed world (which I suppose isn't too much of a surprise, since they hired BioShock's art director, Nate Wells, as lead artist), as well as develop the characters and their relationship with one another with ambient dialogue while interacting with the environment, and to express their emotional states at certain points during the story through subtle use of animation. The acting was terrific, not only from the leads Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, but the rest of the cast as well (months later, I'm still amazed that Nolan North was

Spoiler

David

). I also felt that the mechanics complemented the narrative, using the environment and the items scavenged from it to do whatever it takes to survive in its harsh world.

2. BioShock Infinite ; Speaking of deeply detailed worlds, BioShock Infinite's Columbia is quite lovely (except, you know, all that racism and religious zeal). Irrational has crafted another ideology-driven city, this time in the sky. I feel like I'm one of the few who actually enjoyed the combat, using the sky-lines to maneuver around the arena-like encounters, and combining different vigors to dispatch enemies. The story is overall really well done, but as with most stories dealing with

Spoiler

quantum mechanics, multiple universes, and time travel, there are inconsistencies if you over think it

. The entire ending sequence is one of my favorite moments of the year, although it is a bit of an info dump. Courtnee Draper and (again) Troy Baker worked wonderfully together to keep the story moving, and the Lutece twins (played by Jennifer Hale and Oliver Vaquer), are among my favorite characters this year.

3. Gone Home ; I went in blind to this game, only hearing murmurs that critics loved it and that some from the gaming community thought it was overrated. I must say it resonated with me quite a bit, but I can understand why people didn't like it.

4. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons ; A beautiful game that uses its mechanics to add to the story in a really touching way.

5. Grand Theft Auto V ; A massive and detailed world, GTA V managed to pull me back into the series after being disappointed by IV. The missions were more enjoyable than many of the previous games', the driving and shooting are improved (but still could be improved further), and I enjoyed the ability to switch between the three characters, although I would have liked more missions to take advantage of the mechanic.

6. Saints Row IV ; I never imagined that I would become as fond of characters from the Saints Row series as I did, especially after SR IV. The humor mostly sticks, and the super powers are pretty fun, zipping around the city à la Prototype in particular.

7. DmC: Devil May Cry ; Yes, the combat's not as deep as the prior games. But that didn't stop my enjoyment of DmC, as Ninja Theory managed to make a solid combat system that still felt like Devil May Cry. The art direction and level design really stuck with me, and I for one liked the cheesy story.

8. Civilization V: Brave New World ; The changes to culture, as well as the additions of tourism, trade routes, and ideologies have really made Civ V into great game that now rivals its predecessor.

9. XCOM: Enemy Within ; Another Firaxis expansion that adds a ton of new content. The addition of gene modification and cybernetic augmentation, along with new enemies (both for the aliens and the new faction, the Exalt), new missions, and objectives, Enemy Within finds ways to make you change up your tactics. By the way, Mec Troopers are awesome, especially when they punch things!

10. Rogue Legacy ; I still haven't beaten it yet, but this game has sucked up many hours of my time, and will likely take up many more. It scratches a somewhat similar itch for met that FTL did last year.

x. Injustice: Gods Among Us ; Probably NetherRealm's best fighing game mechanically, and I loved how well they capture each heroes' and villains' personalities in their move sets. It's a shame that their art direction is still so average (especially with the designs for Wonder Woman and Raven, ugh).

 

[tylerdeep]

1. Grand Theft Auto V ; Amazing scope and amazing how the whole thing held together. Have to reward the ambition this game had.

2. DmC: Devil May Cry ; Third person action has become my favourite genre this gen and this ties with Castlevania Lords of Shadow for me. Excellent mechanics and great art direction.

3. Metal Gear Solid Rising ;

4. Bioshock Infinite ;

5. Tomb Raider ;

6. Dead Space 3 ;

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

when did this become the Derrick GOTY list discussion thread?

When it became obvious Riposte is gonna wait till the last day to post his

 

[ViewtifulJC]

When it became obvious Riposte is gonna wait till the last day to post his

seriously

get it together Riposte/Dark Schala/Nocturnowl/Stump/etc

 

[Net_Wrecker]

Stop playing favorites, guys. Everyone's list matters. From the most junior of junior members, to infamous members, to insiders, to devs. We're all one. We're all in this together. WE. ARE. NEOGAF.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

except your list, cuz its clearly just my list

 

[Net_Wrecker]

except your list, cuz its clearly just my list

 

[Neiteio]

Stop playing favorites, guys. Everyone's list matters. From the most junior of junior members, to infamous members, to insiders, to devs. We're all one. We're all in this together. WE. ARE. NEOGAF.

An epic tear just rolled down my cheek, down my tits.

 

[theprodigy]

I must say, this GTA V vs SM3DW race is quite intriguing
(TLoU is already over 1200 points, holy crap)

edit: #2 right now is...surprising.....

also, old, but:

1. The Last Of Us ; Fantastic gameplay and story to match. Surprisingly moving.
2. Fire Emblem Path of Radiance ; A near perfect SRPG.
3. Rogue Legacy ; Wonderful action platformer. Insanely addicting.
4. Legend of Zelda - A Link Between Worlds ; A return to form for Zelda.
5. Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen ; fun action RPG
6. Tomb Raider ;
7. Dragon's Crown ;
8. Etrian Odyssey 4 ;
9. Bioshock Infinite ;
10. Gone Home ;

that's a 2005 game