Thursday, April 17, 2014

top 50 games of 2013

top 50 games of 2013 

50. Remember Me

What we said: "It's a game that a small number of people will rightly love and cherish, but overall it's an uneven experience - one that feels like it knows what it wants to be, but has resigned itself to existing in a world where it can't quite get away with it."
"One of those nice freebies that pops up on PS+ and turns out to be unexpectedly enjoyable," wrote Olemak.
lostlain: "It was clunky, and probably more a reflection of the lack of good titles this year that it made it in," wrote lostlain. Hang on - do you like it or not? "But I loved the plot and the Inception-like ending - despite its flaws it was a new IP with no expectation of a sequel and tried to do something a little different."

49. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

1
Monster Hunter's great, but the Qurupeco is seriously a bit of a dick.
What we said: "Everything is of a piece, whole and entire, as if the developers set out to make exactly this game and succeeded. That doesn't mean it's flawless. It only means that, sometimes, it feels like it."
Moot_Point wrote: "My favorite series of games in HD. What's not to like?"
"Awesome co-op game and after 200+ hours on my 3DS, a game that finally gave me a reason to buy a Wii U," said rubberducko. "So much fun, and Monster Hunter 4 is pretty much on my top anticipated games list, if it comes to our shores."

48. Lego Marvel Superheroes

What we said: "Like its predecessors, Lego Marvel has surface flaws - but it's so generous with its content, so clearly head-over-heels in love with the characters and world it's inherited from the comic page and cinema screen, and so reliably, reassuringly designed from the ground up to both enchant and inspire young minds, that it's impossible to allow the slight technical scruffiness to sour the experience."
"I'll vote this for my 4-year-old, who still wants to play it every chance he gets," said Svennol. Bless! "Can't wait until he unwraps Lego Marvel Superheroes for Christmas." geminifly wrote: "One of the best scripted games I can recall with moments of humour and exhilaration, together with a whole host of completist features. Same Lego gameplay but it felt refreshing to be out of the usual high quality but churned out franchises."

47. Rogue Legacy

13
Not the only Rogue-like this year, but certainly one of the best.
What we said: "Canny enough to keep you hooked, but sufficiently honest to throw in something a little more nourishing too, the genetics are pretty strong with this one."
"I hate this game," wrote neuroniky. You're supposed to vote for your favourites! "It wants me dead. And yet, I can't think of a more fun way to spend my time when I have only 15 minutes to kill away. The only problem is that every time I launch this, I end up playing for hours and being late for whatever I planned to do. I hate it so much."
Shariest wrote: "Amazing game that has had me for 77 hours and counting to complete it. And to think that their previous game was on Kongregate, my mind is still boggled."

46. Dead Rising 3

What we said: "Just beware, once you get over the pleasure of the first few combo weapons, Dead Rising 3 is just a solid zombie brawler set in an open world, not the strange game of tender heart that used to be so funny and surprising."
Rev0Knuckle wrote: "There was nothing particularly new about it. But it finally felt like Dead Rising had become the fun and eccentric game it always should have been. The most pure fun I've had in a game all year."
"There haven't been many experiences as pleasurable as plowing down the Highway in my Rollerhawg this year," said mellowfiend. "29,000 zombies and counting!" Good work!

45. Gunpoint

What we said: "More snack than feast, it would be nice if there was slightly more of it to enjoy, but Gunpoint comes highly recommended all the same."
Churchy wrote: "Gunpoint blends old-school gameplay with modern smarts and design. Reminiscent of games found on the Amiga, Gunpoint really works your brain cells whilst having truckloads of personality, making for a unique gaming experience. It also features some of the funniest lines of dialogue I've ever seen in a game."
"Got to rob secrets innit," said whatfruit.

44. Gran Turismo 6

2
Oddly enough, Gran Turismo 6 had the most impactful, emotional ending movie of any game I played this year. Actually, it's not that odd - a video of the 'ring would always do that to me.
What we said: "As a foundation, it's certainly more stable than its predecessor - and as a way to explore the thrill of four wheels it is, despite its many faults, exceptional, brilliant and pretty much peerless. It's not finished yet, but Polyphony likely never will be - and in Gran Turismo 6 it's just delivered the broadest, most complete iteration of its epic vision."
"To call this serious (and therefore sterile) is missing the point," said Lacobus before coming over all amorous. "A love letter to cars, and love is serious business."
MOV_r0_r0 kept the romantic theme up: "Lots of cars, lots of penis substitution?"

43. Forza Motorsport 5

What we said: "With Forza Motorsport 5, Turn 10's created a driving experience both accessible and beautiful - but it's been stripped back to make Xbox One's launch, and augmented with a host of ugly extras that only serve Microsoft's bid to make a few dollars more."
Spiemanw wrote: "The most next-gen experience with the rumble motors in the triggers and the stunning visuals."
Jeux, meanwhile, said: "While not as good as Forza 4 in a few key areas (microtransactions, number of cars, tracks, etc.) the eye-melting 1080p/60 graphics on my projector screen really brought home that the next generation is here."

42. Path of Exile

What we said: "I've had many, many hours of fun in a game that still has much more to show me and which all of us, right now, can play for nothing at all. We're being spoiled."
Seksiness wrote: "There will always be comparisons with the other ARPG game. For me though this stays very true to the genre. Another massive positive was that this showed how the F2P model should work."
SeesThroughAll summed it up succinctly enough: "What Diablo III should have been."

41. FIFA 14

What we said: "As much as I know I will play it all year, though, I would like to feel a greater sense of progression next time. Hopefully EA Sports will find the next-generation consoles inspiring."
-anon wrote: "The best football game yet. All the great emergent gameplay systems implemented in the series this (last?) gen, but the slower tempo compared to last year's iteration making for a more considered, technical game. Online Seasons is highly addictive."
jonthepymm: "It's broken. Nearly all the goals I concede are headers and my PS3 is barely capable of running the menus at a decent speed - never mind the game," says jonthepymm, another who's perhaps missed the point of the voting. Oh, hang on a tick: "Despite this I've sunk hundreds of hours into Ultimate Team as this is the best 1-on-1 competitive game in the world."

40. Killzone: Shadow Fall

3
Graphics!
What we said: "There's a lack of confidence here that contrasts starkly with Guerrilla's dazzling, sure-footed command of the new hardware. It's a game that any new PlayStation 4 owner will be proud to show off - but it won't be one they remember by the time PS5 rolls around."
unscarred785 wrote: "Amazing representation of what games are going to look like on the Playstation 4. As a PC gamer I enjoy stunning visuals and Killzone Shadow Fall has all the goodies I desire!" "One of the best lunch titles for many a year," said todohogar.

39. Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn

What we said: "Final Fantasy 14 may be a rat race, but it's a rat race in which every rat can become king (or, at the very least, a level 50 paladin) and, just maybe, make a few real friends along the way. Looked at from this angle it's not so much a Skinner box as a paradise. And who doesn't want to live in paradise?"
Gilgamesh wrote: "An amazing turnaround. Dumbstruck to awestruck. Best 'new' MMO in years."
Vanmunt said: "Gaming is surely about those little moments when you jump out of you seat and punch the air. taking down one of the tough bosses with a few friends as we all wipe out at the end watching Squidger Baggings take down the last slither on his own is gaming at its best... and yes, I did jump out of my seat."

38. State of Decay

What we said: "State of Decay is a scrappy, somewhat coarse game on its surface level. Its systems are poorly explained, its textures lacking in detail, its gunplay entirely functional. But its systems have a clockwork-like beauty, interlocking with rare grace to create a vivid, meaningful world in which player-driven stories arise with delightful frequency."
Oldschoolsoviet wrote: "Showing the big boy devs how it should be done, with a great sense of freedom, and a scope far larger than its means. It might not have the polish of big budget titles, but it certainly had far more heart." "If Rockstar done a Zombie game this would be it," wrote Smudge1983.

37. Guacamelee

14
Guacamelee pretty much justified investing in the Vita this year.
What we said: "Drinkbox Studios has already made a name for itself on PSN with colourful platformers like Mutant Blobs Attack. Guacamelee suggests a real step-up in terms of ambition, and that's a welcome move - even if it does perhaps come at the cost of a little polish. Like the best luchadores in the business, Guacamelee has real heart and a blazing desire to put on a good show."
BigDannyH wrote: "What a great game! Funny throughout with a lovely art style but, best of all, the combat/platforming mechanics are fantastic. By the end I was cancelling punches into rolls into uppercuts and finishing with a super-satisfying pile driver. It felt almost as fluid as a match of Street Fighter."
whatfruit says it best, though: "Got to be a luchador innit."

36. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD

What we said: "Just like its young hero, The Wind Waker is crisp and energetic, spirited and soulful, just a little bit wayward - and it hasn't aged a day."
toby182 wrote: "I may have been 10 years late, but I am glad I caught up. Excellent story, combat, puzzles and I didn't mind the triforce quest as much as the internet does."
MccyMcFlinn wrote: "Incredible care was taken to bring this into the HD generation and it paid off - put simply, this is a beautiful and rich game. Link's emotive eyes and silent reactions were outdoing Lego Star Wars long before they even existed. The sailing could be a bit of a pace-killer but the injected speed to proceedings in this update mitigates it as best as humanly possible."

35. Luigi's Mansion 2

What we said: "The exquisite animation, striking lighting and evocative set design always have their best side to a camera that never puts a foot wrong - and every angle is positioned to make the best of the 3D effect, which turns the meticulously detailed interiors into a living doll's house in your hands. It's gorgeous, as close to a playable cartoon as anything since Zelda: The Wind Waker."
arthurp8 wrote in this, the year of Luigi: "Everything that made the original Luigi's Mansion great, squeezed onto the 3DS. Great fun with Luigi and ghosts!"
Angry_Man_Dan wrote: "Quite how this was possible on a handheld machine is anyone's guess - brilliant graphics, animation, music and sound combine with fun and varied mechanics to create an adventure worthy of cementing Luigi as a star in his own right."

34. DmC

  • Publisher: Capcom
  • Developer: Ninja Theory
  • DmC review (8/10)
4
Dante do well? Well, not particularly, I'm sad to say.
What we said: "Ninja Theory has succeeded in revitalising a classic series, but DmC is almost a classic in its own right. Don't think too much about the lows, because the highs here are so very high, and show without question that Capcom has faith in the right developer. Ninja Theory has absolutely nailed the leading man and the combat system - by far the most important things - and DmC is clearly a labour of love, a tribute as well as a new beginning."
Fushimi wrote : "The pacing may leave something to be desired but for a run of missions in the middle the game is an absolute blast, particularly the visually stunning and conceptually inventive nightclub and news station stages. Oh, and the nightclub music deserves a spot on any workout playlist."
VillanCaustic wrote: "Vastly underrated and can't wait for a sequel." Sorry, VC, you're probably going to have to wait for some time.

33. Pikmin 3

What we said: "Nintendo has transformed a genre traditionally concerned with large-scale warfare into a knee-high epic built of scavenging and babysitting. Survival, not domination. Family, not factions."
Steizgr8 wrote: "Absolute delight and a fantastic sequel. Bit short though." Bliprunner wrote: "A beautiful game, Nintendo really put their heart and soul into this one. Me and my son never wanted it to end."

32. The Wolf Among Us

What we said: "As much as this episode is a joy for your eyes and ears, it does leave the grey matter in between fairly untaxed. But, story-wise, I'm hooked. The characters are fascinating, the plot heavy with potential, and my faith in Telltale's skill is high. Consider this score a work in progress then, with the expectation that it will rise over the coming months as Mr Wolf's investigation deepens."
Latenius wrote: "This year's sleeper hit for me. Having played The Walking Dead, I expected this to be a somewhat niche and boring experience for the Fables fans. Instead I got an intriguing story about characters you can relate to (provided you were read a lot of stories as a kid). The atmosphere is noir-esque and the art is beautiful."
Evarofzentral wrote: "Although only the first episode has been released, The Wolf Among Us has already drawn me in with its brilliant story and characters. I can't wait to see where it goes."

31. Gone Home

15
Gone Home proved that there's big payoff in going for more modest themes.
What we said: "'A house is not a home,' as the old song goes. Gone Home's mansion is half-inhabited, the family's possessions still stacked in boxes after the move. The game itself feels similar. The Fullbright Company has built a fine house for intimate storytelling in games, but it hasn't found the story to live in it yet."
CharlieStCloud wrote: "Not for everyone, but it was a brief visit (to a house) that I couldn't stop thinking about afterwards. In a good way, of course."
Fasterthanapigeon wrote: "A fantastic example of one of numerous indie titles this year which deserve all the praise and recognition they've been getting. A unique take on narrative in video games, and a mature and intelligent story, with atmosphere by the bucketloads."

30. Metro: Last Light

What we said: "Metro: Last Light is not a bad game, but nor is it a good one in quite the same sense as its predecessor. Metro 2033 was flawed but trying to do its own thing. If anything, Last Light feels like a regression."
loboMuerto enjoyed the atmosphere of Metro so much he invented a new word: "While the first one is definitely better, this one still has some of the best ambientation and story in the FPS genre."
Rowjay wrote: "My personal favourite linear shooter since Half-Life 2, the feeling of being in the underground of a post-apocalyptical is scarily authentic and the shooting is gloriously satisfying."

29. Metal Gear Rising

5
Everything about Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, from the name onwards, just makes me want to shout 'VIDEO GAMES' at the top of my voice. It's wonderful.
What we said: "This is simply the ultimate one-man show, worth its ticket price many times over, an experience that improves exponentially as it gets faster and as you get better. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a thrilling and almost flawless fighting game - come get some."
Pasco_ wrote: "Nanomachines, son." Fair enough. NeonStorm had slightly more to say: "Most prelude sections are designed to gently ease you into a game. Rising's ends with you sprinting down the wall of a church and splitting a 50ft-tall Metal Gear in half at ground level. Platinum has once again demonstrated that they understand exactly what I want from a game."

28. Resogun

  • Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
  • Developer: Housemarque
  • Resogun review (8/10)
What we said: "Housemarque's not offering the shock of the new, perhaps - all of the developer's best ideas are actually reassuringly elderly - but it's working with energy, enthusiasm, precision and love. Oh, and voxels. Look at them scatter!"
YobRenoops wrote: "Insane E-numbers game. Every thing on the screen is an actual thing. Such a good successor to SSHD."
GitSomE_UK wrote: "A brilliant follow up to Super Stardust - Awesome visuals, awesome gameplay and very addictive."

27. Diablo 3 console

16
You really don't want to know how much time Oli Welsh has put into this.
What we said: "Diablo 3 is a bold, bloody, opulent romp built around a ruthlessly simple distillation of action role-playing. It's perfectly comfortable in its new home on consoles, and so is Blizzard."
Cheesyfiend wrote: "Superlative port that gave the gaming world the real Diablo 3 that we were all craving. Well done Blizzard." The-Jack-Burton wrote: "A shockingly good rebuild of a PC game that was weighed down by its own ambitions. This lightweight, easy to access console version of Diablo 3 is quite excellent."

26. Battlefield 4

What we said: "Consider this the last gasp of the old multiplayer model then. It's a fine swansong, especially when played on the most powerful platforms, and in particular if you treat the campaign as a free bonus feature. It's hard not to wonder just what DICE will be able to do when it no longer has to hobble its designs to suit ageing hardware, though."
"Insanely fun multiplayer," wrote wrkingclass_hero. "I just wished it worked." spunkythefunkymunkey wrote: "I had to think long and hard about voting for this. On one hand it's one of the best multiplayer games I've ever played. On the other it's riddled with bugs and glitches and has a simply terrible campaign. I have thoroughly enjoyed the matches I have managed to play though, and I'm sure once they've patched the hell out of it it'll be even better."

25. Animal Crossing New Leaf

What we said: "The first Animal Crossing you play is always the best, isn't it? If this is your first, I envy you."
Chibihobo wrote: "This is the video game version of crack. I can't tell you what kept me coming back but a 30 minute session of this game seems to fly by quicker than real time."
AGBear wrote: "After years of iterative sequels that didn't add much to the Animal Crossing formula, New Leaf's title can be taken literally. It feels like the way the game was always meant to be, with the online connectivity and sheer portability of the 3DS providing a holiday destination you can share with your friends and carry in your pocket."

24. Saints Row 4

6
When the Saints go marching in, there'll be a whole world of dick gags.
What we said: "Saints Row 4 may lack refinement - nothing thwarts a superhero quite so frequently as an overhanging roof or your homies standing in a doorway - but it compensates with sheer exuberance. It's a heartfelt love letter to the superhero genre and to a medium that makes such madness possible. There's a fine art to being this gloriously dumb, it seems, which pretty much makes Saints Row 4 the Sistine Chapel ceiling of stupidity."
Twmac wrote: "Like the good Kevin Smith films it is equal parts dick jokes and actually intelligent discourse that might include dick jokes. The open world exploration was taken to its zenith and I have no idea how they will top this."
Fluitketel wrote: "A great superhero game and a good departure from the previous Saints Row. Mostly you just run and fly around the city and mess things up real good."

23. Dota 2

  • Publisher: Valve Software
  • Developer: Valve
  • Dota 2 review (9/10)
What we said: "You owe it to yourself to set the client downloading and take a look. The business model of Dota 2 makes it the best MOBA option out there, and there's never been a better time to get involved than right now, with the New Player Experience and influx of fresh blood."
Fallout might have a proble,: "1000 hours and counting."
JorgeLuisBorges wrote: "At a time where F2P is written off without regard by most people as money grabbing cynicism we get Dota 2 - one of the most generous and polished games I've ever played."

22. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

17
Is that Michael Biehn? It totally is!
What we said: "I still don't really know what Blood Dragon is, or how it relates to Far Cry 3, but more to the point: I don't care. If only more blockbusters had this much fun with their legacy."
Dinomo wrote: "One of the funniest and most fun games, built upon one of the most polished and robust."
Ferral wrote: With being an 80's kid brought up on C64, Spectrum, Amiga and Atari ST the neon lights of Blood Dragon allured me from the get go, then also voiced by Michael Biehn (Hicks and Reese from Aliens & Terminator) I just had to buy this game. Granted, its a Sci Fi shooter essentially at its core but the game and setting are completely badass. This game is so far disconnected from Far Cry 3 it should have ditched the FC3 name and just been a new I.P called Blood Dragon!"
abrarzahinshahriar said: "The kind of DLC that more devs should be doing."

21. Civilization 5: Brave New World

What we said: "The additional content of Brave New World ensures that, now more than ever, Civilization 5 feels like a complete package; a game to lose hundreds of hours to as you build an empire to stand the test of time, and one to which you'll sacrifice many a cup of tea along the way."
"Finally, intelligent and strategic cultural victories!" cheered GI3n. Fozzie_bear wrote: "Finally made Civ 5 the game it always promised to be. A completely different experience from the original version."

20. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

What we said: "The game as a whole is lacking in substance and rough around the edges, but Brothers' fantastic ending makes it a triumph all the same."
lord_jamie wrote: "The last sequence had the most emotional impact I have experienced in video games for a number of years. Such a well-crafted story with an ending that highlights everything missing in the mainly soulless world of current triple-A titles."
Move42 sobbed: "I really liked it. Then it made me cry by pressing a button. Now I love it."

19. Beyond: Two Souls

7
A bit of a love/hate game, this - a lot like David Cage himself.
What we said: "Perhaps what David Cage and his dream need are limitations - limitations that Sony's blank cheque has singularly failed to impose on this sprawling, over-reaching game."
Lacobus has a fair bit to say: "Another 'I'm-sorry-I-have-to-disagree-with-you-here' moment. Castigated for not being a film, torn apart for not being a full game, this title instead should have been celebrated as what it was: a hybrid of the two. I think it's the nature of game reviewing at fault though, rather than your well written review. 'Come on game, show me what you've got' is the wrong approach here. As is a passive 'ok then the mechanics are a bit wonky I'll just rush through and watch the cutscenes'. It requires full cooperation from the get go. Some of the best moments can be completely bypassed. If you allow yourself to act out the scenes rather than play them, a wonderful experience is there to be had."
Mahomedesmailparuk, meanwhile, makes me come over all Kenneth Williams.: "Starts off slow, but fun to play with the wife."

18. Pokemon X&Y

What we said: "Pokémon X & Y is the finest expression of Satoshi Tajiri's obsessive vision yet. The transition to 3D is smooth and natural and the multitudinous additions to the proven formula will excite even the most jaded Pokémon fanatic."
Bigjimbeef wrote: "The transition to 3D blew my mind, but the changes in a gameplay format that has remained unchanged for nearly twenty years are what really marked this iteration as special." Gilgamesh wrote: "Best Pokémon game in years. Strong innovation but please give us all the creature voices and maybe an online/console/MMO (never going to happen but we can dream can't we)."

17. Papers, Please

18
A real miserablist masterpiece, this.
What we said: "It's hard to call such a nerve-shredding experience "fun", but it is absorbing, brilliantly written and causes you to question your every instinct and reaction - both in the game and in real life. Such bleakness will be an acquired taste, of course, but the deep note of bitterness in Papers, Please makes for a welcome change."
Atropos wrote: "Not a great gaming experience per se, but a great experience nonetheless." Gl3n wrote: "Few games feature the wit and originality of Papers, Please. A surprisingly addictive set of mechanics and an enthralling backdrop which drags you, guiltily into a cycle of corruption."

16. The Stanley Parable

What we said: "The Stanley Parable is a video game that plays you. It examines questions of control and free will within a finite interactive space and asks: can you truly express yourself in a world in which an omniscient designer has already carved out all of your possibilities in advance? Is there real victory to be won inside a machine that has been pre-programmed to deliver victory to you anyway?"
"Taking meta to new heights," wrote JorgeLuisBorges, who probably knows a thing or two about the subject. "It's easily the funniest, most well written game this year - and possibly the best game about gaming ever."
hat_hair wrote: "The funniest writing since Portal 2."

15. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

What we said: "It's often been said that A Link to the Past is a game set inside a puzzle. That means A Link Between Worlds is buried at least two layers deep, as it's a game set within A Link to the Past. But that's both the pleasure and the pain of Zelda, isn't it? A tale endlessly retold, wrongs endlessly righted, a map endlessly tweaked and embellished and folded back on itself."
MLWW wrote: "Some criticise it for being too old-fashioned, like the top down view was lazy or just not relevant anymore. What they don't realise is that this is how Zelda was meant to be played. Link to the Past was my all time favourite RPG. This is in my view, better. It's also one of only a few games I have (nearly) finished start to end this year."
Privatkatze wrote: "This is Nintendo's most forward-looking title in years! And all they had to do, was to look back. Link's new adventure is nothing short of a revolution - a very well-disguised one, admittedly. Don't let the 'recycled' setting and uninspired visuals fool you.'

14. Fire Emblem: Awakening

8
If you voted for Fire Emblem, we can definitely be friends. Just phenomenal.
What we said: "It drove me mad at first, but now it makes me think of an old friend who, when tired and emotional, was fond of repeating a Leonard Cohen line: "There's a crack in everything; that's how the light gets in." Fire Emblem: Awakening has a hairline fracture running right through it, and it shines so bright."
AgrippA1 wrote: "I know it's not going to win the top awards but Awakening really does deserve more recognition than it gets. It's a top quality product from start to finish, the music especially is a truly stand out element of the whole experience.
"But alongside that you get a memorable (at times, loveable) cast of diverse characters with whom you share a journey that extend across the tides of time."
Steifybobbins was fairly succinct: "Genius."

13. Persona 4: Golden

What we said: "Thematically, Persona 4 has real impact. Ostensibly, this is a game about being a teenager living in extraordinary circumstances - but beneath the murder-mystery premise, it's easier to relate to than that. It's a game about negotiating the murky waters of adolescence, rolling with the hurtful buffeting of pubescent relationships, grappling with self-image, peer pressure and modern life's demand that we all grow up quicker than our parents did."
brendude13 wrote: "My favourite game of all time."
MercenaryRaiden: "The best JRPG of the previous console generation came back even better than ever. With more social links, extra content and visuals that look stunning on that gorgeous Vita screen it is easily the definitive version of one of the best JRPGs ever."

12. Tearaway

  • Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
  • Developer: Media Molecule
  • Tearaway review (9/10)
What we said: "It's not a long game, but for every section of simple platforming there's a moment of pure creative delight that leaves most other games looking stuffy and sterile, locked away behind their joypads and glass, away from your prodding, inquisitive fingers. Tearaway's tactile world may be no more real, but while you're under its spell it certainly doesn't feel that way."
YobRenoops wrote: "Gloriously visualised game that is the best showpiece for the criminally underrated Vita. Seeing my gurning mug in the sun always makes me pull a face. Because I'm obviously 3 years old."
Gl3n wrote: "The best use of the PS Vita's bizarre, bloated feature set yet."

11. Rayman Legends

19
When did the Rayman series get so good?
What we said: "The platform game has been around for so long that it's easy to assume that the genre has run out of surprises. A showcase for the game designer's art and one of the greatest platform games of this - or any - year, Rayman Legends disproves that in glorious style."
NeonStorm wrote: "The best 2D platformer since Yoshi's Island. Nintendo, take note."
Seeyoshirun wrote: "The level design in this game never ceases to amaze me with its ingenuity and variety. The Wii U version does an oustanding job of utilising the gamepad."

10. Hotline Miami

What we said (in our original review): "So many games are really good at one or two things, or they're full of lots of good ideas that you respect individually, and their qualities arrive in your head with great fanfare, like a county parade trailing down your high street. Hotline Miami isn't like that. It only works as a whole, and it doesn't hit you like a flavour; it builds up in your system like an intravenous solution."
MrBeast wrote: "Absolutely astonishing game. The Vita version gets my vote as, playing it on that gorgeous OLED screen with a good pair of headphones, the game utterly sucks you in and mindf***s you." Language, sir!
NeonStorm wrote: "Solid evidence, along with the likes of Spelunky, that indie games fit the Vita like a glove."

9. Spelunky

9
Spelunky? Never heard of it. If only someone had written about it on the site this year...
What we said: "Spelunky is my perfect game - a creation of rare crystal clarity that sparkles from every angle. I think I could play Spelunky forever, and now that it has come home to PC, assuring its permanence, I believe I will."
Lambchop says of this undersung gem: "Good game."
BigDannyH adds: "I know it gets its fair share of love on EG but it really is a great game. Plus, the Vita could have been designed just to play Spelunky."

8. XCOM: Enemy Within

What we said: "Enemy Within is an improvement on an already excellent game. For every decision that must be made there are several factors to consider, rarely enough money to pay for everything, and uncomfortable consequences to be faced for failure."
Munners wrote: "The best game of 2012 - improved."
LeoliansBro wrote: "Enemy Unknown perfected, the game that realises the full potential of the former release. The first XCOM game lasted 20 years in style, this could be the game for the next 20."

7. Ni No Kuni

20
Proving that the JRPG is stronger than ever.
What we said: "Ni no Kuni wears its Studio Ghibli inheritance as lightly as Oliver does his little red magician's cloak, transporting us from one universe to another with the wave of a wand."
Olemak wrote: "No comment necessary." Oh, go on - just a little one?
leandrosales1 wrote: "Best JRPG of this generation, brings something new to the table and builds on the glory of RPG's such as Dragon Quest and Tales. An amazing game that I would recommend to anyone."

6. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag

What we said: "Edward doesn't have the impish wit of fan favourite Ezio Auditore, against whom all Assassin's Creed protagonists are destined to be measured, but in the end he felt more rounded to me. The revelation, though, is the treasure of a game he stars in."
Rambletripe wrote: "Loved this, just pipped GTA 5 for me. What it lacked in story, compared to GTA 5, it made up for in pirates."
Sinnerdk added: "I always managed to somehow overlook the Assassins Creed games. Since I love pirates however I gave this one a shot. I rushed out and bought every other Assassins Creed game as a result last week. It's THAT good."

5. Super Mario 3D World

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There are many brilliant things about the new Mario, but Plessie is one of my favourites. I feel compelled to wave back at her at the end of every level.
What we said: "Compact by the standards of the Galaxy adventures but still loaded with bountiful secrets, beneath the warm familiarity of 3D World lies one of the strangest Mario games in years - or at least one of the most random in its influences and its moment-to-moment indulgences. And that's a very, very good thing."
Masterofchaz wrote: "There is at least one idea in each level of Super Mario 3D World that could carry a whole game." "Is there such a thing as a bad 3D Mario game?" asks tobysmerdon. Perhaps Sunshine if you're in a cruel mood? "Based on this, absolutely not! It takes the assault course design of 3D Land as its basis and makes it all better by injecting even more fresh new ideas with each stage and includes the same fantastic and clever level design from the EAD Mario team."

4. Tomb Raider

What we said: "So goodbye, old Lara. Your time is up. Hello, new Lara. If you can stop hacking people to death for five minutes, we'll get along fine."
Wowami wrote: "A lovely surprise. Didn't expect it to be as good as it was."
SemiMental wrote: "The first Tomb Raider game to excite like the first."

3. BioShock Infinite

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I hope Levine doesn't become too occupied by Hollywood and returns to games soon.
What we said: "By the end of the game you realise that you are not the main character in any real sense. Elizabeth is. She always has been. She always will be. It's her journey. You're just along for the ride. Still: what a ride."
Sickpuppysoftware wrote: "I was having so much fun wandering around the world I didn't want to tear it all down."
jonc24 wrote: "Simply one of the most entertaining, mind bending, time-hopping stories gaming has ever produced. Gorgeous art design, brilliantly written characters and nice shooty bits all pale in comparison to the incredibly developed plot. One of gaming's best twists that not only holds up on repeated plays but becomes clearer and deeper - take that Sixth Sense!"
janghong-seok says it best, though: "good"

2. Grand Theft Auto 5

What we said: "GTA5 may not be the Hollywood-beating crime story it wants to be, then, but it's the best video game it's ever been, and I'll take that."
MrTomFTW wrote: "Grand Theft Auto isn't it?" Yes it is! "This was never going to be anything but incredible. I'm surprised my 360 didn't burst into flames due to what Rockstar did with that game." Stu wrote: "The magic of those first few hours in a fresh GTA city is unlike anything else, and Los Santos is the most visceral, rich and captivating city to date. Oh, and character switching turns out to be a brilliant addition both for the story and gameplay."

1. The Last of Us

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Did you expect anything else? The Last of Us proved that 'intelligent blockbuster' needn't be an oxymoron.
What we said: "At a time when blockbuster action games are sinking into a mire of desperate overproduction, shallow gameplay and broken narrative logic, The Last of Us is a deeply impressive demonstration of how it can and should be done. It starts out safe but ends brave; it has heart and grit, and it hangs together beautifully. And it's a real video game, too. An elegy for a dying world, The Last of Us is also a beacon of hope for its genre."
Lince wrote: "The absolute best experience you can have with a controller and a console hooked to a television set." torment74 wrote: "Maybe more story than gameplay but still an experience like no other and perhaps the best leading characters this generation."
Angry_Man_Dan wrote: "An exceptional achievement in storytelling, artistry and technical excellence on the ageing PS3. Everything about the game, from its tone, setting and mechanics, to its surprisingly fun and robust multiplayer mode was nigh on perfect. If this is what was achieved at the end of this console generation; just imagine how good the games will be at the end of the next one."
As exciting as that thought is, I think wowami should have the final word: "The giraffe moment of reflection..."
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