First, let’s take a look at the list I am clamoring for in the next year.
Top 5 Most Anticipated for 2013
5. DMC – The Devil May Cry reboot looks like a ton of fun, and after spending some time with the demo, I’m pretty much sold. I love the visuals, the art style, and Dante’s makeover. This is a title I’m absolutely looking forward to.
4. The Last of Us – Naughty Dog is as high class of a developer as anyone, and this new IP from them deserves as much attention as Uncharted, or any of their other beloved series’. A post apocalyptic world has been done a few times over, but the sense of humanity in the decisions you make along the way give this game a certain feeling I don’t know I’ve seen anywhere else.
3. Dead Space 3 – The acclaimed Dead Space series is back with protagonist Isaac Clarke, and he has a few new tricks up his sleeve, including using cover to his advantage. While some fans are crying out in shame, it seems to be a logical step in a horror game that is branching out for a somewhat faster pace. Also included is weapon customization, and pure campaign co-op. I really enjoyed the other ones; it’s a great series and a game that will definitely stay on my radar till well after it’s completed.
2. Bioshock: Infinite – A return to Ken Levine’s hands, and a game already being claimed Game of the Year, and it’s been delayed a few times, and is still a few months out. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. What seems to be another masterpiece after the first Bioshock was released a few years ago, which coincidentally is packaged with the game on the Playstation 3 side of sales. (It may be releasing for Xbox360 as well, I just haven’t checked back to see if they’ve confirmed it yet.) This juggernaut title is sure to claim awards aplenty, and one I can’t wait to pick up when the time comes.
1. Grand Theft Auto V – Like this was in question. One can only hope that the early summer date is being kept in check, because the powerhouse that is Rockstar Games will be dropping this warhead of a game, and it will clear the charts of anything in its path. In what is considered by some as the greatest series of all time, we return to San Andreas with a new cast of characters at our disposal and the ability to do anything we want. A game series I tout as one of my favorites, and a company that always innovates and raises the bar. Any company dumb enough to put their release window, pretty much in any type of media, against this game, is in for a real dull few months. This game will clean house, probably end up being one of the greatest sellers of all time. I absolutely cannot wait till this game is released. It still feels like a yesterday GTA IV was released. It’s still ridiculously fun and addictive, and to be honest, will probably be winning a slew of GOTY awards from everyone, everywhere.
That rounds out my most anticipated of the year to come. We proceed to memory lane, and see what I chose for Game of The Year.
Top 5 Games of the Year 2012
5. Max Payne 3 – I love Max. Which is a tough thing to do considering everyone or thing he seems to end up loving ends up very dead. But it was a delight diving back into bullet time, flying over counter tops and off stair cases shooting up baddies.
4. Black Ops 2 – What can I say? I’m a Call of Duty player. I knocked the game a little bit in my impressions of the multiplayer, but after settling into the game, and playing it right, with friends, it has become a lot more enjoyable. Digging into Zombies is becoming more and more fun as well, uncovered new easter eggs, and other secrets is always fun, and the campaign has a nice feel to it. Well deserved of this spot.
3. Borderlands 2 – A return to Pandora, and a great one at that. I put so much time into the first Borderlands, I really don’t want to talk about how much time it actually was. Playing as the new classes was a blast, and Handsome Jack was a treat as the antagonist. The world was varied, enemy variation by the dozens, and guns, well you know.
2. Halo 4 – Down to the nitty gritty. Halo 4 is a treat. It’s a return to glory for the franchise, especially sans Bungie. After ODST and Reach, I was skeptical as to where the series would go; even questioning that it should even be picked up again. Boy, were we all dummies to think it would suck. I love Halo 4. It actually feels like a Halo game. With all the additions that 343 made, it feels like a better Halo, and that is a really tough thing to say. But I really enjoyed this one, and am still playing it, as I get the urge to frequently.
1. Far Cry 3 – This, was a little unexpected. I remember seeing this game being demoed at E3 a couple years ago. Vaas was introduced with his whole “insanity” speech and I knew from the start this one something I had to play. It’s something everyone should play. While Jason, the lead character, is a little on the annoying side, the game play is outstanding. It’s one of the first games where I felt like I could do anything I really wanted to do. Go anywhere, shoot anyone, and mess around with anything. If I wanted to take over an enemy base, however the hell I wanted, I will rightfully do it. Go hunting for 4 hours and not touch the critical path, and not get heckled for it? You bet. I’m truly captivated by the open nature and “do what you please” game play. That’s why this one is my Game of The Year
So next is the list of stuff I was either disappointed by, or of stuff I need to play that I’m disappointed I haven’t played yet. I think I’ll do this compliment sandwich style, like a Big Mac though. Let’s give it a go.
The list of Games that were disappointments & ones I still need to play
Z. Assassins Creed 3 – Yeah, this one was a bit disappointing. With all the hype surrounding this, all the years of development that was put into it, and everything else, it was really kind of disappointing. Not that it’s a bad game, because I’m really enjoying it. If you read my impressions of the game, I think it really is a great time, but there’s so many bugs and glitches that it can’t be in my list for favorite games of the year. Floating muskets and cannonballs, shoddy horse riding, buggy free running, glitched maps, there’s just too much to not take notice. I love the series, and think the time period was great, but due to the size of the series, it has to go down as a disappointment.
4. Journey – Something I will get around to playing, I swear it, just not right now. I hear nothing but love stories about it being short and sweet and the experience from playing it is a really great time. I’m disappointed it got lost in the rubble for me. Hopefully soon I’ll act on an impulse and just pick it up.
Q. Sports Games – Every year I try to buy one. Every year I’m disappointed. Whether it’s Madden or FIFA, I just can’t seem to get into them anymore. I don’t know. I feel like it’s been the same thing with sports games since the last console generation just more crap piled on, and better graphics. If something groundbreaking doesn’t happen in the sports genre next gen, I may be swearing them off all together.
88. Dishonored, Hitman: Absolution, Mass Effect 3, Resident Evil 6 – I piled these on, because, well I don’t know why, but I plan to play them all. Whether it was bad timing for me personally in not being able to accrue the funds, or just too many releases in a time where I was clearly busy shooting dudes in the face, I lost track of these great games. They’ll be played eventually, just not right now. Maybe when they hit discount status I’ll gobble them up and add them to the growing backlog.
M. Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City – A game I had high hopes for. High hopes. I had high apple pie, in the sky hopes for this game. A SOCOM style Resident Evil, and there’s multiplayer where zombies are thrown into the mix, and human players can turn into zombies? Seriously? Tell me that doesn’t sound awesome. Then give me Raccoon City, and I’ll tell you it doesn’t sound awesome. I actually forgot this game even got released this year until I just looked through the list of games released. The guys who made the game, Zipper Interactive, which were the creators of the SOCOM series, took a lot of heat for this game, and eventually ended up shutting down shop. It’s sad, but turning out games that aren’t quality nowadays is a death sentence, and they struck out a few times.
That’s it folks. After reading probably a hundred other greatest of 2012 lists, mine probably fits some sort of template. So what about you? GOTY, most anticipated, and biggest disappointment? What’s on the tops of your lists?
(I originally tried posting this around New Years, but every time I tried, and error occured and wiped all my blog entries. So sorry for this a bit later than I would have liked.)
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