Aldro on 20 January 2013
Before we get to this year, I will let you in on the winners on the last 4 years =>
2008 - Metal Gear Solid 4
2009 - Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
2010 - Mass Effect 2
2011 - Portal 2
So the people have voted and here is your top 10 (More in the link):
Very close between Journey and TWD, but Journey edged it out :).
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GAME OF THE YEAR
01. Journey = 1080 points, 14 honorable mentions
GAF said:
Originally Posted by Lissar:
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I played through Journey six times and each trip was better than the last. Each time was different due to the fact that you get thrown into this world with a random person you know nothing about. The person could abandon you and go their own way, fall down a cliff never to be seen again, or stick by you until the end. The game made me feel curiosity, excitement, fear, sadness, and ultimately a bitter sweet joy. Despite being a linear experience, the game still manages to provide a sense that you are exploring a world and civilization that is bigger than you are. This, along with wonderful music and visual design, has made Journey my game of the year.
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Originally Posted by MuddyDonut:
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An awe inspiring piece of work and one that moved me more than any video game has since my childhood. Journey is expertly paced, has a beautiful artstyle, fitting and gorgeous music, and simply is a delightful package from beginning to end. Also, the experience more than makes up for the simple gameplay and I am enthused that something like this even exists.
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Originally Posted by dosh:
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The sliding sequence made me go "Weeeee!" out loud in my living room. I believe my unknown companion was doing the exact same thing in front of his tv.
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02. The Walking Dead = 1063 points, 30 honorable mentions
GAF said:
Originally Posted by ShockingAlberto:
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At the end of the day, the things I feel about The Walking Dead are simply beyond what I feel about other games this year. If we want to make the argument that video games can be art, it is not about being obtuse and pretentious and demand that a TV screen with Braid play on a loop sitting on a wall in the Museum of Modern Art. It is about looking at games like The Walking Dead and seeing that the experience of a video game can be every bit as valid as other forms of art. I chose The Walking Dead as my game of the year because it is an experience that other titles, simply being video games, could not match. To put it another way, The Walking Dead is game of the year by being everything that title has never meant.
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Originally Posted by parasight:
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The most compelling story ever told in its medium. I'm not a big fan of games that put story before gameplay altogether, but this one was an exception. So much maturity in the way it handles its characters. Clementine is the most convincing and realistic depiction of a child in any video game. The sense of choice is powerful, even if it's usually smoke and mirrors. At one point I actually thought I caused someone to die, before realizing there was no way to save them. I've never cried because of a video game before, but I cried because of this one. This game prompted me to immediately watch all the episodes of the TV show and read the entire comic series in less than a week. They're good, but they're not even close to as good as this game.
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Originally Posted by SuperSonic1305:
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One of the best adventure games i've played. I love the books and the TV show and the game does a great job of creating another worthy story for the franchise. The characters and writing are fantastic and provided some of the most shocking and emotional moments I've had as a gamer.
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03. XCOM: Enemy Unknown = 689 points, 25 honorable mentions
GAF said:
Originally Posted by d1rtn4p:
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What else is there to say that hasn't already been said? The formula works as good now as it did back in 1996. I dumped dozens of hours into this new game and I still get just as exhilarated and anxious every time I start a mission. Sadly, there just isn't enough quality turn-based strategy out there these days and I'm super thankful this game was made.
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Originally Posted by neomike:
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I feared the worst, I hoped for the best. I was so excited for XCOM to finally hit, and when it did, I and tons of friends were completely sucked in for weeks. There are very few games that hit this level of design. It's fantastically well made, and if it wasn't for some lacklustre art, a few bugs and a few mechanical choices, I'd want to call it perfect. As it is, I don't think we could have gotten a better XCOM remake. It is absolutely the best game of 2012, hands down.
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Originally Posted by Emerson:
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In a recent video game climate that has often been about evolving the medium, XCOM was a return to classic video game mechanics. The top-down strategic gameplay is very nearly perfect. Yes, there are some bugs and I've been frustrated by my share of them. There is very little story to speak of, and in fact the most effective narrative will be one you create yourself. The attachment I developed with my soldiers over the course of the game was almost embarrassingly strong, and on several occasions I was nearly despondent over their deaths. XCOM is simply one of the most solid video games I've played in years, and when it comes to gameplay there aren't many better experiences you could have had this year.
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04. Sleeping Dogs = 566 points, 17 honorable mentions
GAF said:
Originally Posted by EYEL1NER:
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The game feels like every one of my favorite HK movies. Combat is the Arkham-style combat of counters, but the moves you pull off and string together look so cool and punishing. The main character is slick as hell and the open-world environment is great.
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Originally Posted by Sojgat:
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Succeeds where all other open world games fail, by making each of it's core mechanics as fully realised as those in games where they're the sole focus. Every aspect of the game benefits because of it. A few rushed/glossed over areas in the narrative, and a slight lack of meaty side content are more than made up for by the great Hong Kong environment, and a hugely likable protagonist in Wei Shen. It all works together to make a whole greater than the sum of it's parts, giving Sleeping Dogs it's own unique feel that I absolutely loved.
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Originally Posted by Omikaru:
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Sleeping Dogs had an excellent blend of open world driving, hand-to-hand combat, shootybang bits, and story, to the point that the game had a "just one more mission" quality to it that kept me playing for hours on end. A rare achievement in modern games.
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05. Dishonored = 521 points, 18 honorable mentions
GAF said:
Originally Posted by SalsaShark:
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The artstyle is amazing. The world it creates is superb and leaves you wanting to explore more of it. The gameplay manages to get rid of common annoyances in the stealth genre in very satisfying ways. The powers are genuinely fun to play around with and make you change the way in wich you play games of the genre. It really does feel like a playground at times in wich you just play with the game's systems , wich is something I really missed in games. The gameplay allows the perfection of your skills. This is a game where you actually get noticeably better as you keep playing, and I know it sounds silly but you rarely see something like this in today's empowering games. The ability to pull off crazy stunts/moves once you get really good at it is super satisfying. It also encourages replayability and I had as much fun in my second, non-lethal, unseen, blink-only, low chaos run than on my first one; maybe even more.
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Originally Posted by Dyni Crippler:
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It's a steampunk Deus Ex, to put it simple. Level design is superb, powers are incredible and the freedom given to the player is simply amazing. Combine that with the combat system, which plays like Dark Messiah meets Riddick, and the unique stealth based on exploration rather than avoiding guards and you've got yourself the greatest game of the year, at least for me.
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Originally Posted by Minion101:
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Deus Ex meets BioShock meets Thief meets Half-Life meets my wallet.
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06. Mass Effect 3 = 513 points, 20 honorable mentions
GAF said:
Originally Posted by ZealousD:
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The fact that the ending to this game got as much vocal hate as it did proves something. It proves that throughout the entire length of this series, Bioware has done a hell of a lot right. If Bioware wasn't hitting the right notes in all of this, nobody would have cared. Mass Effect 3, despite the ending, still manages to be the best campaign in the series. I became very emotionally invested in this universe and the characters of this series, and for very good reason. Because it's fucking good.
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Originally Posted by Grisby:
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The horrible ending couldn't destroy all of the fun I had in the previous 30 something hours. All of the little character moments and resolutions to some of the series long standing dramas were awesome. Some nice missions and a fun multiplayer made me forget the lack of hubs and questionable animation system .
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07. Borderlands 2 = 486 points, 10 honorable mentions
GAF said:
Originally Posted by ezekial45:
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- Guns, guns, guns! What a great improvement over the last game. It's like Gearbox went through a giant fan wish list and granted nearly. The developers really showed a great attention to detail for this game, and also the gave the universe much needed context to benefit the future of the series. Also, put me the group that really loved Tiny Tina.
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Originally Posted by XxCGSxX:
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Most fun I've had playing a Co-op game, we laughed, screamed at each other for not sharing weapons but most importantly had a blast with it at the end of the day. The writing in this game was amazing IMO, I can't remember the last game that made me laugh out loud more than once.
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08. Kid Icarus: Uprising = 472 points, 11 honorable mentions
GAF said:
Originally Posted by Tookay:
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Sakurai's still got it. Once the controls click, the whole thing becomes sublime: lots of variety/content, hidden depth to the mechanics, great music, endearing story and characters. And the whole game keeps finding ways to escalate, which makes it hard to put down. Probably the first Nintendo game since Galaxy that's blown me away.
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Originally Posted by Snowden's Secret:
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Easily the best game released not only this year, but maybe this decade . I haven't played anything as sharp or fresh in a long, long time, and I was hooked beginning to end. Fiend's Cauldron is brilliant--I played each stage numerous times before advancing just to eke out better gear and see how insane 9.0 could get. The dialogue is witty and endearing, characters are endlessly introduced and fleshed out, and Sakurai pulls off the Okami hat trick of including the game's sequels but this time it doesn't feel like padding. 10/10 Masterpiece game.
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09. Far Cry 3 = 402 points, 21 honorable mentions
GAF said:
Originally Posted by The Jason:
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Despite the various issues that always seem to attend open world games, FC3 delivers an incredible experience. An open world game that combines stealth, survival, strategy, shooting, and exploration is just too good. Maybe I'm not as jaded as most gamers but FC3 does so many things right, it leaves me in awe of how far game development has come.
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Originally Posted by BruceLeeRoy:
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Far Cry 3 is by no means perfect but when everything comes together just right it is some of the most fun I have had in a open world game. I also think it has the best stealth melee system of all time. Looking for opportunities to chain your combos together was deeply rewarding. Excellent characters and voice acting rounded out a really great game.
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10. Hotline Miami = 399 points, 21 honorable mentions
GAF said:
Originally Posted by EatChildren:
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A psychedelic ultra violent trip, fashionably drenched from head to toe in blood and style, Hotline Miami is the quintessential example of the many components and qualities of video game design coming together in perfect unison. Its confident, self aware identity panders to no focus group, market, or specific taste. Every element, whether it be the retro electronic soundtrack, neon pixel graphics, visceral twitch gameplay, or schizophrenic narrative, brilliantly toes the line between self serving aggression, and co-operation with its companions. It's like the best cocktails; acidic, volatile liquors and spices entwined to manifest a flavour you can't quite describe yet won?t ever forget. You're never sure which part of Hotline Miami you like the most. As the sweat beads down your forehead you're not even sure if you're really 'enjoying' yourself. Is this experience fun? Is this entertainment? The answer is irrelevant. What matters is you cannot put the controller down, and all those blockbusters you've played this year, gluttonously padded with their mulit-million dollar budgets, lay twitching in a pool of crimson at your feet.
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Originally Posted by ScOULaris:
This takes the cake for the most fun I've had with a game this year. Hotline's fast-paced arcade gameplay coalesced with the trance-inducing soundtrack and neon-drenched visual presentation to create something altogether unique and engaging. It was a real shame that the game was released in such a buggy state, but the core game here is what shines despite the technical hiccups. The feeling of blowing through multiple floors of white-suited Russians without breaking my combo is priceless and hasn't been replicated by any other game this year.
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