Runoff 2012, Game of the Year

[Machina]

Veknoid_Outcast said:

I’ve been reluctant to downplay a specific year so far, but 2012 is pretty rough by my personal standards. The absence of Xenoblade really hurts it.

My pick is Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward. I’m not typically a visual novel guy, but Zero Escape manages the transcend the genre with challenging puzzle-solving gameplay, memorable characters, and Rashomon-style storytelling.

Second place would probably be Wipeout 2048. I loved all the modes, the blistering pace, the track designs, and the clean visuals.

2012 was a good year for Vita.

Mark of the a Ninja also deserves a mention. Just a brilliant stealth action game.

WipEout 2048 was great - a very much under-appreciated game, because it was a launch title for a platform that died pretty much upon arrival (and as a result killed off one of my favourite developers).