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platf0rmgaming · 11 years ago

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My Most Anticipated Games of 2015 (A Letter to Last Year)

Dear 2014,

Good riddance. You gave us some decent games, but for the most part, I was pretty disappointed in you. You gave me so much hope; you promised so many things, and utterly failed with keeping those promises on so many occasions.

But don't be sad. Your baby brother has a ton of potential, and he's shaping up to be a great year. As long as he learns from your mistakes, he could totally redeem your inexcusable missteps towards the end of your run there.

I mean, just look at The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

With a studio behind it like CD Projekt Red, how can it go wrong? The combat looks so fluid, the world is huge, and the visuals are astounding. From the looks of it, it's going to be a very strong contender for Game of the Year about 350ish days from now.

Or how about Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number?

It's bloody, it's violent, it's got more weird animal masks, and probably has a "killer" soundtrack (see what I did there?). I played a lot of the first one, so I'm totally down for more of it.

I could probably do with less of the screaming, pillow-punching, frustrating fits of rage this series tends to cause, but I suppose it comes with the territory at this point.

Speaking of indie games, who isn't excited for No Man's Sky.

I'll be honest; I have no idea exactly what you're supposed to be doing in this game, but the idea of an infinite (literally) amount of planets and galaxies to explore with my friends has me very intrigued. Part of me worries it won't live up to the hype and scope and that all of the trailers and gameplay we've seen is all there is to it, but I suppose time will tell.

Speaking of time, that's a perfect segue into going back in time. Like, the year 1886, specifically. The Order: 1886, to be even more specific.

2014, I know 1886 was long before your time, but 2015 is looking to give us a glimpse with this third person cover-shooter infused with werewolves, steampunk weapons, and a lot of facial hair.

You promised me this last October, but it got delayed. That's not your fault. Have you seen it though? It's like a Gears of War meets Underworld meets Van Helsing mashup. Remember when Gears of War was good? Me too. It feels like so long ago.

You know what else came out a long time ago? The Legend of Zelda. And the Wii U has a new one coming out this year!

Did you see that trailer from not too long ago, when Link leaps off Epona and time goes all Matrix-y and stuff and he shoots his bow and arrow from mid-air?! And the size of that world! Just the thought of an open-world Zelda game rattles my bones.

I kind of need a Wii U now just to be able to ride the old horse through those familiar fields again.

Now that I think about it, Snake — or Big Boss if you want to get all technical about it — is going to be doing a lot of horse riding this year.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain has been on my "radar" for years since that illusive Kojima stunt back at the Spike Video Game Awards in 2012.

Between the dog, the hot sniper woman, the home base operations, the online play, and the massive open world, I'm getting tired of all the teasers and trailers and just want the game in my hands like YESTERDAY.

More Metal Gear in my life is always good, so I can't wait until…this summer? We still don't know when it's being released, because Kojima is a cryptic son of a bitch.

However, a game a DO know that's coming out this summer is Batman Arkham Knight.

This game looks ridiculously good. It wowed me at E3 last summer, and continues to stun me every time I see it. It's being made exclusively for next-gen, so flying around a gorgeous Gotham City as the Bats has me super excited.

Wait, what am I saying? Who would waste their time flying (I mean, we've been doing it for three games already) when you could be DRIVING THE BATMOBILE? DID YOU EVEN SEE THE GAMEPLAY OF THE BATS DRIVING AROUND AND WRECKING SHIT UP WITH THAT THING? UGH. GIVE ME.

Either way, it's been a good few years since I played a good Batman game. Hurry up, June.

Confession time: whenever I see the word June, I immediately think of the word Junes.

Like, the department store from one of my favorite games of all-time, Persona 4. My obsession with Persona 4 started back in 2012 when I picked up the Golden version on Vita. And here we are, three years and 280 in-game hours later, and I'm finally within two hours or so of beating it. (This personal attachment makes me all emotional and stuff. Don't make fun of me.)

Anywho, I'm almost certain that we'll see Persona 5 this year.

2014, you gave us a lot of Persona; you announced a rhythm/dancing game, and you released an Etrian Odyssey-type game and a fighting game. But what you didn't give us was a solid date on Persona 5.

What do I know about Persona 5? Absolutely nothing. Will it be any good? You bet. I do know it'll be on PS4 in glorious HD, so YUP. Sign me up.

Just please tell 2015 to give us more than this teaser image. What is it even supposed to be telling me? Are the chairs prisoners? Are the chairs criminals? Do I play as a criminal?

Who knows.

You know who is a criminal? Nathan Drake. A thief, but the good kind. He's my favorite thief, and his treasure hunting is coming to an end this year in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. *tear*

After seeing the most recent gameplay video at PSX, I'm convinced that Uncharted 4 is the Indiana Jones game I've always wanted. HE FINALLY HAS A WHIP FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

But seriously. With the creative directors and development team behind The Last of Us working on Drake's final adventure for the PS4, I couldn't be more excited to see him charm his way through the huge action set-pieces and kill another couple thousand dudes one last time.

Game of the Year contender right here.

2014, these are just a select few reasons why I think 2015 is going to be a great year. Please let 2015 know that it has so much potential to be much better than you ever were. It's not that I have anything against you. You just…kinda sucked.

Sincerely,

Chris

P.S.

2015, if there's any chance you could give these to me this year, I'd love you forever and ever. KTHXBYE.

#video games #games #games of 2015 #gaming #metal gear solid #mgsv #uncharted #uncharted 4 #batman arkham knight #persona 5 #the witcher 3 #no man's sky #hotline miami #final fantasy xv

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platf0rmgaming · 11 years ago

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My Favorite Games of 2014

The past 365 days of video gaming have been an interesting one for the industry. I personally found 2013 to be one of the best years in recent memory, but 2014 certainly didn't pass us by without its merits. The Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Wii U each saw some incredible releases, and I can't think of any too many other console generations in the past that had such a strong second year on the market. That being said, 2014 was also filled to the brim with a healthy serving of disappointment, and depending on who you talk to or what sites you're reading, it could even be considered a bad year for games in general.

This past year, we saw just as many remakes, re-releases, and HD upgrades -- an ever increasing trend -- as we saw new IPs and sequels. Further adding salt to the wound, we saw a lot of broken games, and if you bought one of them, you know exactly which ones I'm talking about.

So when it came to winding down my list of my top ten favorite games of 2014, I actually had a hard time whittling it down to a solid, uncompromising list of ten. I played a lot of games this year, and while one of them was an absolute shoo-in for the number one spot -- it was actually miles ahead of its competition -- the other nine contenders were mixed up in a weird sort of unnumbered limbo amongst others that just barely made the cut.

Additionally, while I was undeniably suckered into buying and playing a lot of the HD upgrades that came out this year, I didn't think it would be fair to consider them as a part of this list, so I didn't. So if you're wondering why Grand Theft Auto V and The Last of Us Remastered (or a number of other remakes and remasters) didn't make the cut, that's why.

And honestly, if I didn't believe in fairness, Last of Us Remastered would probably just walk away with my number one spot for the second year in a row.

I also regrettably didn't get to play a handful of outstanding Nintendo titles, namely Super Smash Brothers Wii U and Bayonetta 2, so as much as I'd love for them to be part of this list, they're not. I hold nothing against Nintendo, and can fully admit that Nintendo had a kick-ass year this year, with the Wii U finally gaining the steam that it needed. I'm certain they'll have an even better 2015.

Anyway, with all of the disclaimers of why I couldn't play every single game this year out of the way, here's my top 10 favorite games of 2014, with three honorable mentions that just barely made the cut:

The Wolf Among Us Telltale Games knows how to tell a story. I've played almost everything they've developed, and if it wasn't for another one of the studio's games this year, The Wolf Among Us would've easily made the list.

I'm a big fan of noir-styled movies and games, so when you take nursery rhymes, familiar Disney characters, Sin City, sex, murder, and comic books and mash them together, it's hard for me to turn my head away. The Wolf Among Us took Telltale's signature brand of episodic storytelling and put a really gritty, mature twist on the themes and stories that have been branded into our brains since our formative years.

Combine all of that with a fantastic art style that raises the bar for cel-shading, plentiful plot twists and cliffhangers, and one of my favorite performances of the year from the Big Bad Wolf himself, Bigby Wolf, and you've got a recipe for success.

I hope that we get to see a sequel in the future, because the way it left me hanging at the end only makes me beg for more.

Wolfenstein: The New Order Let's be real; this game shouldn't have been good. Historically, the Wolfenstein series never really was. They've been okay at best. But perhaps developer MachineGames knew that when they decided to revitalize the series, because Wolfenstein: The New Order was too good.

I jumped into Wolfenstein expecting a ton of WWII cliche and super cheesy bravado, and to be honest, in the early first hour and a half or so, that's exactly what I got. However, it was when hero B.J. Blazkowicz awoke in a mental institute after that coma that things got really interesting and I knew that I was starting something very special. This game has feels, man.

If you want a game where you can murder hundreds of Nazis, there are plenty of them out there; one practically comes out every other day at this rate. The history has been set in stone, and not many developers deviate from the path outside of setting X number of bombs on Y number of anti-aircraft guns.

But it's not everyday that you find a game where the action and huge setpieces -- which are done spectacularly -- serve as a supplemental backdrop to a much more intimate and personal story for the hero.

Wolfenstein is a completely character-driven, over-the-top, non-stop action thrill-ride with an old-school approach, and no point does it ever feel like either the story or the gameplay are compromised to achieve that. And coming from the developers of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay and The Darkness, perhaps we should've expected it to be this good.

Mario Kart 8 Every summer when E3 rolls around, my friends and I gather around the TV and watch all of the major day one press conferences. For professional and independent game journalists, it's the busiest season of the year; keeping up with all of the events and news that come out of that conference.

This year's E3 wasn't quite as exciting as last year's, and while I had no journalistic obligations to write about anything happening at E3 -- which was a minor sigh of relief in and of itself -- it was made even better because of one thing: Mario Kart 8.

In between conferences, which was often a 30 to 45 minute span of wasting time, we played the living hell out of Mario Kart 8. It was frantic, it was insanely fun, and it reminded me just how good Nintendo is at doing what they do.

Mario Kart 8 is a prime example of a series that has, while providing minor upgrades here and there, recycled itself over the past two decades. However, I have to give it kudos for reinventing the "wheel" this time around by not only adding anti-gravity, a big roster, a silky-smooth frame rate, and dozens of reimagined classic tracks, but also getting one of the best graphical upgrades I've seen in Nintendo's history; this game is seriously good looking and proves that underneath the Wii U's shell is a powerful little machine that's capable of some really awesome stuff. The first time I laid my eyes on the demo, they twinkled like a kid in a toy store.

Who am I kidding? My eyes still twinkle when I walk into toy stores, but that's besides the point.

And now, my top 10 games of 2014:

10: P.T.

Consider P.T. the biggest surprise of the year for me. Nothing that was announced at Gamescom excited me more than the announcement and release of this "playable teaser." To discover that beating the demo revealed its true self in the form of a new Silent Hill game from gaming icon Hideo Kojima and director Guillermo del Toro was an even better announcement, and it was undoubtedly the most brilliant way I've ever seen it done.

Only Kojima himself could pull something like this off; a first-person horror game that's so genuinely terrifying, yet so deeply shrouded in mystery and secrets that it forced the entire gaming community to create a flood of shared information online, thus virally marketing itself and its shocking reveal in the process. Konami and Kojima Productions released an interactive teaser and we, the gamers, did the work for them.

It's amazing to me that something so simple -- one continuously looping hallway -- could simultaneously be so complex and horrifying. No other horror game has kept me turning my head away from the television, cringing in anticipation with sweaty palms, but desperately wanting to come back for more. Literally hundreds of thousands of forum posts and videos are out there trying to decode P.T.'s hidden secrets, and it's very likely we still haven't found them all.

P.T. will go down in history as one of the finest horror games ever made, albeit the shortest, and one of the best displays of pure video-game marketing genius at its finest.

9. Destiny

The ol' Loot Cave Simulator. Few games in my life keep me genuinely hooked beyond my love for the game. I wouldn't necessarily say I "love" Destiny, because the truth is I don't, but something about it keeps me coming back. On paper, the concept of Destiny is something that I should be head over heels for; in the simplest of comparisons, it's Borderlands meets Halo with a twist of World of Warcraft. So what is it?

Maybe it's how much fun I've had playing with my friends online. Maybe it's how great everything feels when you've got a great team that can cooperate, whether you're working together to tackle a boss in a raid or wrecking PvP shop in the Crucible. Maybe it's how drop-dead gorgeous the game is when you stop shooting and just look around. Maybe it's the beautifully simplistic UI and character design.

It's certainly not the storyline or Peter Dinklage's voice acting.

Destiny had a rocky start; the loot system was horrible, the worlds didn't feel as big as we were initially led to believe, and it all kind of felt more or less repetitive. However, because Destiny is backed by what I believe to be one of the finest studios out there when it comes to communication, the game has been getting regular updates and has slowly been inching towards what its very own tagline wants of us Guardians, and that's to "become legend."

It's still not quite there yet, but it has certainly come a long way since its release back in September, with huge improvements to the loot system, expansive world content, new raids, new weapons, and more. And as long as Bungie keeps bringing the goods, I'll gladly sign on to see what's new.

Except the Cryptarch. Fuck that guy.

8. inFAMOUS Second Son

I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't a big fan of the first two entries in the inFAMOUS series on the PS3. I found Cole McGrath to be such a dry and typical raspy voiced male lead that I lost any and all interest in playing too far in either game.

That changed with inFAMOUS Second Son. It was the first major first-party release that I somewhat looked forward to on the PS4, and it exceeded my expectations of a series that I didn't expect much from. Delsin Rowe (portrayed by the always excellent Troy Baker) was a lot less wooden than his PS3 counterpart, and the setting of Seattle was an absolute blast to fly and run through; all made easy because of the game's ultra-smooth controls and excellent collection of powers and abilities to play with.

I loved inFAMOUS so much I played through the game twice back-to-back in a matter of a week and a half, earning every trophy along the way and subsequently my first platinum trophy, making it responsible for my obsession with trophies in general.

inFAMOUS is also stunningly gorgeous on the powerful PS4, and I can confidently say it's one of the best looking games out right now with some of the best particle and lighting effects in the business. I spent way too many hours playing with the added-in photo mode (which lets you capture and edit images in real-time), creating some pretty slick wallpapers for my desktop:

Go ahead. You can download and use them. You were probably going to anyway.

7. Bravely Default

If you're a close friend of mine, chances are that you know just how big a Final Fantasy and Square Enix (Squaresoft, to be more exact) I am. I have an unhealthy obsession with JRPGs, and my collection of Final Fantasy related things is bordering on scary. (Just ask my supportive yet concerned girlfriend who selflessly puts up with my nonsense.)

However, I'll be the first to admit that the turn-based JRPG formula has been in drastic need for some sort of change for a long time -- not one as drastic as Square Enix seems to be taking it these days with the Final Fantasy series, catering way too much to the west and seemingly abandoning their roots from the east.

And change is exactly what Bravely Default brought. Released here in North America as somewhat of a spiritual successor to 2010's Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, Square Enix surprisingly took what we know and love about JRPGs and added in new features that -- after playing Bravely Default -- feel like they should've been there all along.

Raising and lowering enemy encounter rates and the speed of battle, allowing the player to set battles on auto-pilot for those long stretches of grinding; these are things now that I wish were in my old Final Fantasy games. Add in the easy to learn yet hard to master "Brave" and "Default" mechanics, the brilliant class system, the positively outstanding soundtrack, and a wealth of StreetPass functions that are only possible on the 3DS, and Square Enix has redefined what I look for in future "classic" JRPGs.

If it was any question whether releasing Bravely Default was worth the gamble for Square, the fact that it hit over a million sold back in July since its Japanese 2012 release was proof enough for them that they never had to develop Japanese games with the west's interests in mind; they simply have to stay true to their focus and we'll love them for it.

By the looks of it, Bravely Second seems to be following in those footsteps, and let's just hope the series always stays that way. To eventually take the path of the series it was so heavily inspired from would be, in Agnes words, "unacceptable."

6. Far Cry 4

I'm going to be perfectly honest, Far Cry 4 is essentially Far Cry 3 set in the Himalayas, except with more elephants. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The great thing about this open-world first-person shooter -- and I suppose its predecessor for that matter -- is that Ubisoft has once again perfectly blended a trifecta of solid narrative, excellent world-building, and tight gunplay to create one of the best shooters (if not the best) to come out all year.

Sure, the protagonist, Ajay Ghale, isn't much to write home about, but what he lacks is surely made up by antagonist Pagan Min; a standout performance by -- you guessed it -- Troy Baker yet again, whose diabolical madness is complimented with such a suave coolness that you can't help but love the guy. It's like wanting to be friends with the popular kid at school; it's hard not to want to be, despite the fact that he might be kind of an asshole.

But the characters wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable as they are if weren't for the Himalayas. If I had to give the Himalayas an Academy Award, I'd give them Best Supporting Actor. The location is perfectly realized with huge vistas to gape at, beautiful color, and is brought to life with dozens of types of wildlife (some that are out for your blood as much as the enemies are). Every square inch of the landscape is richly filled with something exciting and new, and it made me want to explore all of it with an exhilarating sense of freedom.

And it's that freedom that makes Far Cry 4 so much fun; freedom to go anywhere and do anything, and freedom of choice. Whether I was choosing between the Golden Path's conflicted leaders, choosing new skills as I leveled up, or choosing how to approach encounters (thanks to the flexible combat), I obsessively wanted to do all the game had to offer.

Yes, the sum of Far Cry 4's parts have all been done before, but when it's this much fun, how can I say no?

Also, have you ever tried throwing a dude around with an elephant trunk? I mean, seriously. It's as cool as it sounds.

5. Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor

Licensed games have historically had a pretty bad reputation. Any time another movie-based game is announced, the general consensus is one of distaste and eye-rolling.

So when Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor was announced, I wasn't particularly expecting great things from it. Sure, it was going to be a Batman Arkham City meets Assassin's Creed hybrid of sorts, but that just seemed too ambitious for a series that had its last great game two console generations ago.

And so it's the fact that Shadow of Mordor defied all of those expectations and obstacles that it makes this list. Yes, the game's battle system is basically a carbon copy of the Batman Arkham series, and yes, its mission and map structure -- and hell, even the parkour and swan-diving off a high building -- are ripped straight from the Assassin's Creed series. But it did all of that combat and parkour excellently, it was addictive as hell, and was undoubtedly the Assassin's Creed game to play this year (not that other one), albeit much more violent and with a lot more decapitations.

And yet, even though it did all of those things so well, it was the now-infamous "Nemesis system" that was the real star of the show. A game that is largely driven by its predetermined narrative rarely lets one create their own story in the process, but that's exactly what Shadow of Mordor lets me do by way of the brilliant Nemesis system. The relationships the game let me craft with the orcs and uruk-hai were something really special. It felt personal, and I loved every second of hating them. Furthermore, finally getting the kill I'd been waiting for or triggering a command for half a dozen orc heads to simultaneously pop off never got old.

The Nemesis system was fun, rewarding, and it will inevitably be mimicked and copied in games to come. Hell, even Ken Levine was impressed. If he can do for potentially flexible, repayable narrative what developer Monolith did for small-scale orc hierarchy, then we have Shadow of Mordor to thank for it.

4. The Walking Dead: Season Two

Our little Clementine has come a long way since the emotionally draining ending of The Walking Dead: Season One. She's had to endure the loss all but one from her original group, and has had to adapt to a world that forces children to grow up very fast.

It's that growth that makes The Walking Dead: Season Two so powerful for me. Telltale's second season of the zombie themed episodic point-and-click adventure game isn't as dramatic or have as many high points as its critically acclaimed predecessor; it had its fair share of highs and lows — and some were very well done — but none were as poignant as the crushing loss of Lee at the end of last season.

But even still, I reiterate that it's Clem's growth literally unfolding before my eyes that struck a chord with me this season, and one of the game's multiple endings in particular had me wiping away a tear or two (or three). Telltale does an excellent job of forcing the player — and by association, Clem — to make some very grown up decisions, and its through those decisions that I caught a glimpse at the type of person she'll end up to be.

Clem obviously meets and joins a new group of survivors this time around, and the first few episodes build upon that foundation and support the idea that family and sticking together is what's most important in this world. Playing as Clem, it's what I want for her; it's what anybody would want for a girl who has lost it all. But when the shit hits the fan towards the end of the season and people start dying, the game does a great job of forcing Clem to make the tough choices when it comes to saving the ones she loves or thinking for herself.

Family in the apocalypse is a double-edge sword; they have your back as support and you have each other to look after one another, but the second something goes wrong, you suddenly have so much more to lose. The Walking Dead: Season Two succeeds at forcing Clem to think about those consequences and determine whether its worth it to stick together with friends and family, or avoid the inevitable heartache and try to brave the dying world alone.

3: The Last of Us: Left Behind

When I first heard that The Last of Us was getting a downloadable single player add-on, I had no idea what Naughty Dog had in mind. The Last of Us has the best story I've ever seen in a game, so adding to it would make anyone who agrees understandably apprehensive. So how do you make a supplement to a game like The Last of Us that will still feel impactful and important and not undermine or tarnish everything that made the full campaign so great?

You make The Last of Us: Left Behind.

Left Behind is a class-act execution of storytelling and pacing. It delicately balances two completely different timelines — during the Colorado winter of The Last of Us while Joel is injured, and a few weeks before Ellie and Joel meet in the Boston summer — and somehow manages to make one correlate with the other in a powerful and meaningful way while bouncing back and forth between the two. This seesawing narrative works extremely well, and highlights the contrasts and growing similarities over the course of the game.

Naughty Dog could've easily created a couple of levels, thrown in a few dozen bad guys, some new weapons, and called it a day, but they didn't.

A lot of what's in Left Behind are unique things I've never seen done in a game before, especially for a developer that's notorious for outdoing themselves with each new title they release; the brick-throwing competition, rummaging through and discovering all of the secrets in the Halloween store, the water gun fight, the photo booth, and — my favorite — the absolutely brilliant imaginary arcade game sequence.

There are a few other expected additions to the gameplay, like enabling the player to utilize the Infected against human enemies through distractions. But it's learning the how, what, and why Ellie is the way she is today that makes Left Behind so compelling.

I got to find out exactly how Ellie was bitten.

I got to find out what had the biggest impact on Ellie during her life before Joel.

And most importantly, I got find out why Ellie was willing to sacrifice herself in the pursuit of a potential greater good in the main game.

I learned so much about a character (who at this point I want to believe is a real human) in a short two hour span than I did throughout the entirety of The Last of Us. For a DLC, Left Behind has more touching moments and peaks and valleys than most full-length games that try to achieve the same thing, and serves as proof that add-on content is capable of being so much more.

2. Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition and/or Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls

Yes, Diablo 3 released in 2012. We all played it, and at some point while we were playing it, we all kinda just…stopped.

It's not Blizzard's fault; the game had enormous expectations that a game in development for 11 years had no way of living up to. The story was terrible, the auction house was even worse, and the always-online connection was a hassle. I, like my friends and many others, had given up on Diablo and had no intention of coming back.

Then the expansion, Reaper of Souls, released this past March for PC. My close friends convinced me that I should hop on the hype train and jump back in with them. I reluctantly did, and it was the best impulse decision I made all year. With the introduction of the new Crusader class, new class skills, new vendors, new items and gear, the incredibly addicting Adventure Mode, the removal of the auction house, and more, Diablo 3 was a better game than it ever was.

It was like the game had been reborn. I played it endlessly for a few months and with each passing update this year, the game had consistently gotten better and better, and still is; a true vision of what it should have been two years ago, and everything I wanted and more out of the action-RPG.

By the beginning of the summer, I found myself playing Reaper of Souls less as other games demanded my attention, and eventually I stopped playing altogether.

This lasted about two months until Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition released for PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. A second group of work friends (who hadn't played it on PC) convinced me to tag along on PS4, and thus began my third entry into the world of Sanctuary and an even bigger addiction that felt like it was simply made for consoles.

With the introduction of Greater Rifts, my PSN friends and I have made hundreds of runs through the timed randomized dungeons and are steadily thrilled with the possibility of finding the next new and shiny piece of loot, tinkering and inspecting our character builds every step of the way.

I'm still hooked on Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition. It's the perfect game to play, whether I have 15 minutes or three hours to kill, and so long as Blizzard keeps treating the game with the care its been given this year, it's a train I likely won't hop off of anytime soon.

1. Dragon Age: Inquisition

Back in 2009, I bought Dragon Age: Origins under the premise that it was simply a medieval Mass Effect with dragons. I grew to love it for so much more than its similarities to my favorite sci-fi western RPG; the world of Thedas was rich in lore and interesting characters, the plot was full of betrayal and triumph, and the combat was deep yet intuitive for newcomers like myself.

Enter 2011, and much to my surprise, Dragon Age II…wasn't all that. The game was a huge step backwards for the series; too linear, too many recycled maps and areas, and the third act of the game was a huge disconnect from the first two acts (as cool as the Templars vs. Mages civil war was).

Fast forward to 2014, and developer BioWare promised they would make good on their missteps and deliver a strong return to previous form, touting Dragon Age: Inquisition as the "biggest game" the studio has ever made. Myself and fans alike were justifiably skeptical, but that's just what BioWare delivered.

Inquisition is far and away the largest game I played this year; every nook and cranny of Thedas's explorable landscape — and there was a lot of it — had secrets, lore, and quests to discover. Some may even argue that there is too much content in Inquisition, and while at times I found that to be true to an extent, I willingly stepped up to the overwhelmingly daunting task of absorbing all that its world had to offer.

The backbone of the intriguing plot — established by the ending of Dragon Age II — introduced dazzling characters, old and new. Meeting with characters from the first and second game was like reuniting with old friends, and added a personal connection to the massive world. And although the ending may have something left to be desired, it does set up future installments for the series with a very exciting groundwork to build off of.

The combat pulled the best parts of the first two games, joining the tactical pacing and strategy of Dragon Age: Origins and the action-oriented real-time combat of its sequel, and depending on the difficulty of the encounter, I found myself switching between both styles frequently. While the A.I. of my party members was occasionally hit or miss and made some battles more difficult than they had to be, generally switching to the more tactical overhead view allowed me to get a better grasp of the situation on the battlefield and issue commands manually; it's almost mandatory when battling a dragon, which was one of the most exhilerating moments I experienced all year, requiring a certain degree of preparation and strategy to overcome.

Dragon Age: Inquisition isn't a perfect game. No game is. But while neither Inquisition's systems, gameplay, or plot are particularly strong on their own, it's the sum of all of those parts combined into one very well presented package that makes the game so engrossing, and its depth and scope is something future games should take note of.

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platf0rmgaming · 12 years ago

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My Favorite Games of 2013

Considering that this past November officially thrusted us headlong into a new generation of games, we can all fully admit that 2007-2008 were the greatest years of the past generation. Right? With incredible games like Super Mario Galaxy, the establishment of new IPs like Mass Effect, BioShock and Assassin's Creed, and Infinity Ward's rise to mega-stardom and yearly dominance with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the landscape of gaming was forever changed into the juggernaut industry that it is today.

However, that's not to say that 2013 was bad. Actually, I thought 2013 was pretty f*cking awesome. I played A LOT of games this year -- probably more than I have in recent years -- and it was probably one of my favorite years of gaming ever, and it was an excellent send-off for the last official year of the generation.

With that said, when it comes down to my favorite games from this year, I can only narrow down the list to 10. Keep in mind, "favorite" is a lot different than "best." (I regrettably never got around to playing Papers, Please, Super Mario 3D World, Luigi's Mansion, The Wolf Among Us, and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, so don't be mad that they aren't on the list. From what I understand, they're all outstanding games, and I truly intend on getting around to them.)

And while I can only fit 10 games on the list, there were a few that were just short of making it; I'll consider them honorable mentions, and they are:

Ni No Kuni I blame the fact that Ni No Kuni came out during the beginning of the year for it not being higher on my list. JRPGs typically take me forever to play through (and I love them more for it), so while I was really enjoying my time with the game, the busy March release schedule sidetracked me and I never got to finish it.

However, it's an outstanding JRPG that blends the best of Pokemon and Dragon Quest and mashes them together with a beautiful symphonic soundtrack and gorgeous artwork (done by the wonderful Studio Ghibli). As far as 2013 goes, I think it'll be hard to find a JRPG that's better.

And Mr. Drippy is one hell of character.

Resogun If it wasn't for another game that's in my top 10, this would be the best game on PS4 right now. Actually, depending on how you look at it, it probably is. Resogun is insanely addicting, and was one of the few games this year that had me chasing high scores on my friends' leaderboards list for hours, reminding me of the old days when high scores weren't just a part of the game, but were the game.

What seems like classic side-scrolling space shooter gameplay is turned on its head when you factor in trying to keep your multiplier up, saving all ten humans in each level, the DualShock 4 talking to you (if you've played it, you know what I mean), the pumping techno soundtrack, and the overall level of chaos that is blowing your mind on screen. And holy sh*t, is the game gorgeous or what?

When I've only got little time to spare, Resogun is my go-to, and although I get furious when I lose a multiplier or a human, I can't help but start all over because the game is just so damn fun. If you're a PlayStation Plus subscriber and you have a PS4, it's currently free, so do yourself a favor and get it.

(Credit for half of my trophies in Resogun goes to Sarai. She and I busted our asses, and together, our sweaty palms made my brand new DualShock 4 weep. It was a blast!)

Gone Home I really struggled with determining whether or not Gone Home would make the cut; it's precisely a game that might not have been my favorite, but I'm almost certain was one of 2013's best. This indie exploration/narrative game (that poor excuse for a genre was completely made up in my head about three seconds ago) is a great example of the kinds of the experiences that are only possible with video games.The conversation comes up time and time again about whether or not Gone Home is a game or whether games can be art, and I can happily admit a resounding "yes" to both of those questions.

I played Dear Esther (a similar kind of "game") last year, and wasn't too blown away by it, despite the positive feedback. I was essentially holding W on my keyboard and listening to an old dude tell me a story I really didn't have any sort of emotional connection to. I got what it was trying to accomplish, but something just didn't click for me. With Gone Home, however, these issues were null; the message and execution wasn't as straight-forward, as you're presented with a vacant home filled with evidence of lives lived and mysteries unsolved. The question is no longer whether Gone Home is a game, but rather, "Why?" "Why is my sister missing?" "Why is my mother fooling around with another guy?" "Why did my father -- and established author -- stop writing?"

Gone Home tells a powerfully intimate and touching story that can only be told through exploration of the Greenbriar family's home, almost to the point where it feels as though you're invading their privacy. It's a story that you have to experience for yourself to really get invested in, but once you do, it's overwhelmingly clear that its excellence in its execution is something that can only be done in a game.

Also, the abundance of 90's nostalgia is awesome. Pulp Fiction FTW.

And now, without any further hesitation, my top 10 favorite games of 2013:

10. Ratchet and Clank: Into the Nexus

Into the Nexus kind of slipped out just before the busy holiday season this year, but I'm so glad that I didn't skip out on it. Action-platformers were practically booming at their peak during the PS2/Xbox/GameCube era, but lately they feel like they've almost become as niche as JRPGs and strategy games. Ratchet and Clank excluded, the genre was generally marketed towards the younger audience (Going Commando, Up Your Arsenal, Size Matters, Quest for Booty, Full Frontal Assault...need I say more?). Most of the younger kids these days couldn't care less about them and would rather play another generic online war-shooter, resulting in almost zero marketing and suffering sales.

This kind of shift is a shame, but the developers at Insomniac Games haven't given up on what's undoubtedly the best franchise of its genre.

Into the Nexus is R&C's swansong title on the PS3, and while it's only 5 or 6 hours long (priced fairly at $29.99, and with plenty of replay value), the game didn't skimp on the insanely fun and sci-fi action the series has been known for.

With a ton of upgradeable weapons, Pixar quality graphics, witty humor, charming characters, and a great tribute to the rest of the series, Into the Nexus was one of the biggest surprises for me this year, and was an absolute blast to play through.

With so many dramatic and narrative-heavy titles this year, Into the Nexus reminded me that, along with a light-hearted story, sometimes it's nice to just jump around and blow stuff up every once and while.

9. Guacamelee

Guacamelee is the Mexican "Metroidvania" game I never knew I wanted. Available on the PS3 and Vita, Guacamelee brings fierce wrestling maneuvers and combat abilities to extremely clever platforming, and does it with hilarious presentation with so many pop culture and video game references that I couldn't stop smiling.

I'll never forget being chased through a level by a giant dragon destroying everything in its path, only to stumble upon a golden axe at the opposite end of a bridge, triggering the bridge to stutteringly collapse, plummeting the dragon into lava, and then being told, "Sorry Luchador, but your princess is in another castle."

Classic. The misconception that the Vita lacks games can go to hell, as this brilliant example is the perfect kind of game for the system, with plenty of exploration and backtracking to keep you busy for hours or in short bursts.

Also, DAT FLAMENCO SOUNDTRACK. Too good.

8. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

While AC IV could have just been a pirate game on its own -- Lord knows it does "pirate" SO SO well -- the fact of the matter is that AC IV does for AC III what AC II did for AC, and that's improve upon its predecessor in every single way. (Did that make sense?)

Where AC III fumbled with its lame assassin, Connor, and slow start, AC IV gets things moving from the get-go, giving you the freedom to do whatever the hell you want as soon as you get your own ship, which is about 45 minutes into the game. Also, Edward -- while not quite at the level of greatness that is Ezio Auditore -- is a much more entertaining and carefree pirate assassin than his future half-Native American grandson.

The story is nothing to write home about, the future/present-tense Abstergo storyline is definitely wearing thin, and the series' stale tailing missions make numerous appearances, but AC IV does so many things right that it's hard to fault the game for it.

Gone are the solo naval missions; the entire map of AC IV is the Caribbean, plain and simple. I enjoyed traversing major cities in the Caribbean like Havana and Kingston (which brought back a lot of the verticality of AC II), but the majority of my time playing was spent sailing, digging up treasure, upgrading my ship, whale-hunting, diving to explore shipwrecks, and doing other pirate-y things.

And while it might get a little repetitive towards the end of the game, there's no denying the thrill of your first ship battle and boarding a sinking enemy ship to kill its crew or take down its flag. It's something no other game has quite done before, and it's done very well.

Oh, and sea shanties.

7. Tearaway

If one word could describe Tearaway, it'd be charm. Media Molecule has a knack for infusing their games with a healthy dose of charm (I mean, just look at Sackboy's smile!), and it shows with Tearaway.

Not very often do I get my hands on a game and instantly recognize the ingenuity and brilliance in its game design, but Tearaway was the one of, if not the only titles, to do that for me this year.

Tearaway brilliantly utilizes all of the Vita functionalities, from both cameras (where it'll occasionally show your face in the sun, Iota's destination) to the rear touch pad, in such a clever way that it never feels cheap or gimmicky. Tearaway breaks the fourth wall and creates a sense of immersion that's specifically tailored for the Vita. There aren't too many games in history that do this, let alone this well.

While I couldn't fathom why this little messenger would want to deliver a message to me -- I admittedly looked awful every time the camera showed my face (I blame the bad angles!) -- there's no denying how beautiful and creative the game is, and shows just how much one's imagination can accomplish with just a few strips of paper.

If you own a Vita, Tearaway is the killer app and a must-own. There's truly no other game like it. (Once again, Vita haters can take a long walk off a short pier.)

6. Rayman Legends

I played a fair amount of platformers throughout 2013, but none of them quite reached the level of polish and frantic fun that I found with Rayman Legends. I'm fairly certain it's the best side-scrolling platformer I've ever played.

Where Tearaway showed off its wonderful game design, Rayman Legends excelled in its creative level design, offering more obstacles and challenges to utilize a jump button than any other game this year. Add to that an enormous amount of level variety, humor and charm, crisp, jaw-dropping 2D visuals and artwork, plenty of unlockables and replayability, and more, and what you end up with is a platformer that stands tall and proud with (and in my opinion, taller and prouder than) some of the best 2D Mario games.

And I can't forget the expertly crafted music levels, which has the player running full speed towards the end of the level, but forced to jump and punch their way through to the beat of several wonderfully covered classic rock songs. It's something I've never seen done before in a platformer, and it's so immensely entertaining that it's the kind of thing anybody can play and enjoy.

Rayman Legends might lack online co-op, but as far as four player couch co-op is concerned, the New Super Mario Bros. series has one hell of a competitor.

5. Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

A Link to the Past is arguably one of the greatest games ever made. A Link Between Worlds just might be better.

By reimagining its predecessor with the help of new game mechanics and eye-popping stereoscopic 3D visuals, A Link Between Worlds is the not only the best looking game on the 3DS, but also one of the best games on the platform.

By adding in the ability to rent (and later purchase) any classic dungeon items right from the very beginning, the entire map of Hyrule and Lorule are open for non-linear exploration, enabling dungeons to be tackled in whatever order you desire. Being able to freely roam both maps early on was a real treat, and I felt like I had a greater sense of freedom than I've had in previous entries in the Zelda series.

Also, what seemed like a gimmick in the previews turned out to be one of my favorite additions to the franchise: the ability to flatten into a 2D wall painting. Early on, it's simply used to slip through bars and cross gaps. However, it's not until later in the game that the ability's implementation truly shines, only further highlighting the brilliance in the dungeon and overworld design.

While it still plays very much like A Link to the Past, A Link Between Worlds may not completely redefine the wheel, but it's just another example of why Nintendo is the reigning king of taking something old-school, and making it feel fresh and innovative as if you're playing for the very first time.

4. Grand Theft Auto V

Make no mistake about it -- no other game from 2013 was bigger than Grand Theft Auto V in terms of scope, sales, or hype. It easily puts every other open-world game to shame, with Rockstar Games creating a believable, living, breathing city in Los Santos. The city is so vast and so beautiful, from the abandoned northern deserts to the flashy high life of the Vinewood hills, that the game even running on the Xbox 360 and PS3 is an impressive technological feat.

Rockstar put such incredible attention to detail, and if you thought it, you could more than likely do it. Feel like playing a round of golf? Go for it. Want to base jump off the tallest building in the city? Have at it. Want to pay for sexual favors and mercilessly get a refund? Well, you've always been able to do that.

Aside from the city, I fell in love with the three main protagonists -- if you can call them that -- and being able to switch between any one of them on the fly.

I really enjoyed Michael's drama-filled Hollywood lifestyle, and his family and trips to his therapist were hilarious. I could level with Franklin's desire to get out of the "hood" and create a better life for himself, looking to the elder Michael as somewhat of a mentor. And Trevor -- the sadistic bastard was the best part of the game. His character was pure gold, and I vicariously lived through his madness as I shot and exploded my way through the lengthy story. And all of the characters would be nothing if not for the fantastic performances and excellent script.

Add in the huge amount of satire, mission variety, cars that actually handle well, and OH GOD THE HEISTS, and what you have is not just the best GTA by a landslide, but one of the best games ever made, period. It's unquestionably an M-rated game and it has its moments that border on grotesque and tasteless, but every adult who loves video games will find something to love about Grand Theft Auto V.

3. Tomb Raider

I'll be the first to admit that I hated the Tomb Raider series on the PS1. The clunky controls were a deal-breaker, and the over-sexualized badass chick with huge boobs was just a little too much for me to take seriously. (Even though that was still very much appreciated as a 12 year old.)

So it came as a huge surprise to me -- and the biggest surprise of the year -- that I enjoyed Tomb Raider as much as I did. Crystal Dynamics placed a normal girl in a shitty situation, and the result was this outstanding reboot that I think is going to set it up for a larger success than the franchise has ever seen.

I'm probably the biggest Uncharted fan I know -- and it's not hard to pinpoint this reboot's inspiration -- but I can safely say that I think Lara Croft's latest adventure out-Uncharted even Uncharted itself. Dramatic setpieces, excellent weapon and skill progression, incredible pacing, super-tight controls, Metroidvania-style map and level exploration, and a believable Lara Croft all made Tomb Raider an absolute thrill-ride to experience.

Yes, the mass-murdering killing spree throughout the game contrasted with Lara's weighty first kill, the tombs were essentially short puzzles that even a 4 year old could solve, and the multiplayer was atrocious, but none of these things seemed to matter to me, considering how spectacular the single-player campaign was.

I'm excited for what the future has for the Tomb Raider franchise, and that's not something I ever saw myself saying ten years ago.

2. BioShock Infinite

**CONTAINS SPOILERS**

It probably goes without saying, but if it wasn't for my game of the year, this would've been it (I mean, that's common sense, right?) In fact, after I finished BioShock Infinite for the first time, I was almost 100% certain that it was going to be my favorite game of the year and that nothing else would top it. I was that wowed by it.

In terms of art direction, Infinite wins by a mile. I got chills upon arriving in Columbia for the first time; there's something so fantastical about a city in the sky. The bright blues and the over-saturated colors were such a sharp contrast to the dark and murky Rapture. Columbia was one of the few worlds that I traversed this year where I simply stopped playing to look around and soak in all of its beauty.

And it's that beauty that made it the perfect backdrop for a story that's so drenched in hidden underlying themes and mystery that I had to continue shooting and skyhooking my way through to the end to unravel it all. From the game's central premise of rescuing Elizabeth -- a marvelous technical achievement who I never felt I was merely "escorting" -- to the audiologs, there were so many questions that I had throughout the game that needed answering:

"Whom does Booker owe money to?" "Why is Elizabeth locked away?" "Why is Booker branded as the 'False Prophet?'" "Why do these odd red-headed twins keep popping up out of nowhere?"

These questions were more than answered by the game's ending, which was the most spectacular ending I'd ever witnessed in a game. Universal tears, multiverse theories, the reveal of Booker and Elizabeth's relationship, and the revelation that Booker and Comstock were one and the same was simply mind-blowing stuff. It was an ending that had me talking with my friends for weeks trying to wrap our heads around its complexity, which was almost as much fun as the game itself.

A lot of the story's ambiguity had me spending hours theorizing, researching, and reading what others thought online, and I can't remember the last time I played or watched something that provoked this much thought.

Yes, many criticisms have been said about the ending being too much of an info-dump, or how Elizabeth's abilities and the multiverse concepts just made everything else that didn't make sense somehow conveniently make sense. BioShock Infinite still has the most meticulously woven story I've ever seen told in a game, and for that, I'll never forget it.

And although Infinite also gets its fair share of criticism about its level of violence and how the combat can be perceived as simply a mechanism to get the player through the story without any real meaning ("Why am I shooting all of these people, again?"), I thoroughly enjoyed the combat. The skylines, Vigors, and enemy variety all made for exhilarating gameplay to me.

Finally, the last minute visit to Rapture at the end of the game had me picking my jaw up off the floor and seeing how it tied into Infinite's story left me speechless until after the credits rolled. It was one of my favorite gaming moments ever.

Also, who can forget the Luteces? Were they awesome or what?

1. The Last of Us

**CONTAINS SPOILERS** I can distinctly remember seeing the first gameplay reveal of The Last of Us several E3's ago. It was impressive, to say the least, and I knew that it was something to look forward to. I knew it was going to be good.

I didn't know it was going to be that good.

It's funny; I talk about The Last of Us almost daily, whether it be at work, with friends, or in my head. I talk about it so much that I'm almost certain my girlfriend is sick of hearing about it. I talk about it so much that there are so many words I could use to describe this game that I don't even know where to begin, but I do know that feeling so passionate about a game that came out almost seven months ago and not being able to let go of it tells me something.

For those who bitch about it, The Last of Us isn't original.

Everybody knows this. Shut up.

Sure, post-apocalypse is nothing new these days, and "zombie stuff" is starting to lose its appeal (if it hasn't already). Stealth games have been done before, and probably better. Survival-horror has been done before, and -- if you played Silent Hill 2 -- much better.

The Last of Us doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it never claimed to; that's not what it was trying to achieve. But everything that it does do, it does so exceptionally well that everything else I played this year paled in comparison.

Naughty Dog took everything that games had been trying to achieve for the last 7 or 8 years and nailed it, proving that gameplay-driven narrative is possible without having to succumb the player to 30 minute cutscenes (sorry Metal Gear, I love you, but yeah...), and that a game can tell a mature, emotional story that rivals some of the best in cinema and still be a game.

All of its components, from the setting to the "zombie stuff" to the gameplay were married brilliantly and culminated in everything that I look for in a game. Hell, even the multiplayer was surprisingly great.

The Last of Us made me feel every emotion in the book. For the 15-20 hours I spent playing The Last of Us, I felt comfort, terror, happiness, sadness, fatigue, love -- I was a slave to its story and gameplay, and it was the most emotionally taxing game I've ever played.

**SPOILERS START HERE**

The intro was shocking, and witnessing Sarah -- a child -- die was something that I didn't see coming. It set the tone for the rest of the game and really never let go.

The moments when I had to stealthily make my way through pitch black basements, surrounded by the infected creatures had my palms sweating profusely. You seriously didn't want to hold my controller afterwards. It was disgustingly soaked.

When an enemy encounter went haywire and my approach went to shit, I frantically scrambled to cover as the enemies tried to close in on my position, creating a gut-wrenching tension I'd never experienced before.

After spending so many hours fighting and sneaking and surviving my way through such an ugly, destroyed world, that now-infamous giraffe scene near the end of the game damn near broke me. It was so unexpected; so calming. Everything from the music to the scenery choked me up, and knowing that it wouldn't be the end of Joel and Ellie's nightmare of a journey broke my heart. I wished they could've stayed in that moment forever, and Naughty Dog giving the player the ability to let them sit there as long as they wanted was brilliant.

The pacing throughout the game was fantastic, and this scene hit at just the right time. It's a scene that will go down as my absolute favorite gaming moment; it was such a beautiful part of the game, especially after the incredible Winter chapter of the game.

Seriously -- WINTER. It was masterful storytelling and gameplay at its finest.

Joel and Ellie as a pair created a wonderfully dysfunctional father/daughter relationship that moved the game along. Seeing their relationship blossom from one of burden and dislike into one of love and friendship was touching and enjoyable, and although we never get any sort of true resolution at the end of the game, the fact that it so abruptly ended with uncertainty was almost a statement to how uncertain a future in that world was to begin with.

Ellie was a great character, and her fascination in the world before the outbreak was awesome. I can only imagine what it must be like to be a kid born after the fall of society, but it was portrayed excellently with Ellie.

However, Joel was the real treat for me. I was very conflicted about my feelings of Joel when I finished the game the first time, and I think that says a lot about how well he was written. I'd spent the entirety of the game killing for the sake of survival; it was what had to be done, and I could understand that in a world like that, it's a brutal necessity and a fact of life.

But by the end of the game, while his emotions and motives were coming from his heart, he'd become the true enemy. For the first time in a video game, I was forced to kill against the greater good. Naughty Dog had used me to tell the story they wanted to tell. Joel had murdered an entire hospital of people who had the best intentions to save our world, and he destroyed that chance over a selfish reason.

Were I truly in his shoes, I don't know what I would've done, but it's a decision I didn't get to make -- Joel made the decisions. He was just as bad, if not worse, than the thugs I'd killed to get there. And what's worse is that he lied to Ellie about it at the end. She wanted to trust him, and although he loved her, what he'd done was out of pure selfishness and he didn't have the guts to admit it.

It was stomach-turning, it was despicable, and it was awesome. It was an unsatisfying ending, and I loved the game more for it.

Zach Betka at GamesRadar said it best:

"Joel is not you, and he's going to do things that you don't like, but you are powerless. You are just moving him forward. You are not his puppet master. Don't think that you can control these characters and their actions -- play a different game if that's the case. You need to understand that video game characters are not just vehicles for you own self-fulfillment. And that's a killer idea."

The Last of Us has its flaws, and it might not be the most "fun" game out there, but I'll be damned if it's not the best game I have ever played. It's a game that invokes the weirdest emotion when I fire it up, and that's that I've never been so happy or excited to get so sad.

Thanks for reading, guys and gals.

(And Persona 4 Golden, because it's still just so so good. A year and 150 gameplay hours later, and I'm still just as in love with it. When I just don't feel like playing anything else, I always keep coming back. One of my all-time favorites :)

What was your favorite game from 2013?

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