2013 was a pretty good year for gaming consoles since there was a pretty large variety of AAA and indie games to enjoy. I’m generally not very picky when it comes to video games and I enjoy a wide range of genre’s but when one genre is over-saturated (like first person shooters), I tend to choose something that tries to offer something unique. My time was evenly spent between four consoles, the Wii U, the PS3, the 360 and the 3DS and picking my favorite game was not as challenging as I originally thought it would be. But, two games in particular stood out from the whole range of games that got released this year and both these games deserve more awards than any of the other games.
1 – The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
What’s not to love about this game? It’s Challenging, beautiful to look at and features a captivating world filled with secrets and dungeons.
2 – The Last of Us
A brutal, intense and emotional roller coaster. There really hasn’t been a game (in a long time, or really just ever) that has affected some of us like The Last of Us has. I used to just play it two or three times a week because I knew there was always something bad around the corner. You would find and pick up a journal entry or a note to either read a great story of survival or a really sad story about death or loss. The amount of detail that went into the environments to support these stories were also impressive. This is one game I loved, but would probably never play a second time.
When the E3 trailer was revealed, most of us had written this off as a quick-cash in before Nintendo released the true successor to the Galaxy franchise, but since its release its been getting rave reviews. 3D World includes some of the most unique and entertaining level designs while pushing the series forward making it one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences of the year.
4 – Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag
Is it a game about pirates or assassins? Who cares! It was a great (and lengthy) experience. You get your own ship, a huge map to explore, naval battles and assassination quests. The story starts off slow but gradually picks up, introducing you to a great cast of characters and ultimately offers a superb finale to the game.
The original Metro 2033 game was a first person shooter that was based off a post apocalyptic science fiction novel by Omitry Glukhovsky. I picked up the game up because I really enjoy post apocalyptic games/literature/movies and I was surprised at how immersive and gripping the game was. The sequel is arguably better, featuring some intense and scary moments (giant spiders ugh) and a beautiful, haunting world to explore.
This is probably one of the most misunderstood games of 2013 which is directed by renowned game designer Hideki Kamiya (Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe, Okami, Bayonetta) and developed by Platinum Games. Reading reviews it seemed like the writers weren’t sure what kind of game they were playing. It also felt like many of them quit before they got far into it. How would I categorize it? It’s probably in a genre of its own, a realtime strategy brawler. The colorful art direction, an over-the-top story, the wacky characters and incredibly boss battles are some of the reasons why this is in my top 10.
7 – Pokemon X/Y
Most of my generation grew up with Pokemon Blue and Red, it was the first game I owned on a Gameboy Color and it was my introduction to the addictive world of Pokemon games. Pokemon X & Y improve a lot of aspects of the game from the visuals to the general designs of the Pokemon themselves, to all the new interesting modes and finally making online play seamless and easy. Also, adding one of the most addictive online trading modes, the Wonder Trade.
8 – Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
If you’ve played any of the games by Platinum Games (MadWorld, Vanquish, Bayonetta, Wonderful 101) then you know what you’re getting into, this game continues their tradition of delivering just pure over the top action and cheesy storyline. Metal Gear Rising Revengeance is as silly as the name sounds, it doesn’t take itself seriously at all and it rocks.
9 – Steamworld Dig
Steamworld Dig was a surprise hit that was released through the 3DS eStore (now available on PC). It’s a mining adventure game that features a charming cast of characters and Metroidvanian influences while taking place in the 19th century where humankind has been annihilated and steam-powered robots have taken over.
10 – GTA V / Bioshock Infinite
Tied in 10th place is GTA V (infamously banned in Kuwait and originally sold for over 30 KD) and Bioshock Infinite. GTA V features a cast of 3 main characters living life in San Andreas. It was fun while it lasted, but after the hype was worn off we were left with a GTA game that didn’t really change anything, filled with mundane side quests, large wasted spaces and finally a crappy online mode.
Bioshock Infinite on the other hand featured a gripping tale, some mysterious and brilliant characters, a wonderful art direction and nice environments. It was let down by enemies that were just bullet sponges to the point that some battles became dull. It was also a little bit too linear. Still though, one of my favorite and most memorable experiences of 2013.
Posted by Patrick
Reblog: http://248am.com/patrick/video-games/best-video-games-2013/
No comments:
Post a Comment