2012 Game Awards

[Tuffty]

It's that time of year. With all the big games released and the industry under a cooling period til the new year, it's time to reflect on what were your best games that you have played this year. To make it interesting, I'd suggest a list of the top 3 games, describing in a little detail what makes them your favourites and maybe some honorable mentions to other games for whatever reason e.g. Most Disappointing Game, Best Multiplayer etc

For now I'll include my top 3, but want to include other special mentions later. Hope you enjoy reading them and hopefully you guys can give your opinions too!

#3. Mark of the Ninja



2012 is the year of stealth and MOTN is perhaps the best example of them all. A 2D stealth platformer that doesn't have any of the frustrations typically associated with the genre as the game gave clear visual feedback for every aspect of sneaking—footstep audio burst visually outward from the protagonist, while lights illuminated exactly where they were pointing. You were always in complete control and the game gives you so many options to approach, either by sneaking through and killing everyone, or playing it completely hidden in the shadows and never being seen or killing anyone, each approach you take being as equally as rewarding as the other. The game keeps it interesting from start to finish by including new abilities and enemy types throughout and it all runs silky smooth with some gorgeous animation.

#2. The Witcher 2 : Enhanced Edition



Technically a 2011 game, The Witcher 2 made it's 360 console port this year and it was well worth the wait. Set in a fascinating dark fantasy setting reminiscent of the A Song Of Ice And Fire series, it is one of the most engaging and immersive games of this console generation, drawing players into a complex narrative, full of character, an excellent script and a rich gaming environment. It's an RPG with an incredible amount of depth that makes it impossible for you to discover in one playthrough and with the choices that are asked of you, you will want to replay it again and find out how you could take the story differently. The Enhanced Edition comes with all of the DLC that the PC version had as well as other quests/characters/weapons and a new arena based game mode along with physical goodies like a full soundtrack and guide with standard copies of the game. All included in the price. None of this Day 1 DLC, exclusive retail DLC crap you've come to expect. That to me, is something worth supporting.

#1. Dishonored



When was the last time a game asked you to wait? Not to wait for a loading time, I mean really just to wait in an environment, patiently and be immersed in a game world for minutes at a time. There's a lot of that in Dishonored. You'll be peeking through keyholes to make sure a guard on the other side has his back turned to you before you enter. Waiting as one of the giant legged tallboys creep past you. Patience is definately a virtue. Or not. You could always bust in and shoot the guard before he has the opportunity to react. You could always engage the guards in a sword fight. You could always use your abilities to slow down time as a tallboy shoots a missile at you, or reflect it back towards them.  The beauty in playing Dishonored is in it's level design. These are true sandbox levels, small, self-contained areas rich in possibilities for you and your gadgets and abilities to use. Some of my best experiences this year have come out of Dishonored's freedom in how I approached the levels, greater than any scripted setpiece could throw at me. Like how I was discovered by a guard and I stopped time right as he fired the gun, then possessing his body and moving him in front of the path of his own bullet, and when time resumed he was killed with it. Or accidentally crashing through a roof down behind a guard and as he turned around I sliced upwards, which cut him and the force pushed him backwards and through a window. It's a joy to play and replay in different ways all within this wonderfully realised setting of Dunwall, this Victorian-era London-esque city that is ravaged with plague. It was an easy choice for my game of 2012.

[zoolander]

When I really thought back it comes down to a couple for GOTY.

Fez, which for me brought back that sense of wonder and thrill of discovery I used to get playing something like Link to the Past, along with a bit of of that mysterious feeling from old adventure puzzle games like 7th Guest, Myst etc. When you are making note books so you can remember symbols and translate languages you know you are deep into a game. $10 bucks is criminally cheap for the amount of content in that game. Not to mention everything about Fez was overflowing to the gills with charm.

But if I had to pick one game of the year it has to go to....

A masterpiece of insanity, I mean the mouse cursor is a finger wag

THE MOUSE CURSOR IS A MOTHERFUCKING FINGER WAG. Plus it saved the world.




-Honorable mention: Dishonored, Mass Effect 3, Binary Domain, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Journey. Still need to play/finish a lot of others that came out in 2012.


-Best old game I played this year:

Shivering Isles I've had it sitting around for years but just decided to play it a few months ago and was blown away.


-Disappointing Game:

Soul Calibur 5 Still fun to play and it still has an awesome character creator, but story mode and other single player modes and extra content (which used to be the strength of the series) are shockingly lacking. No CG cut scenes, no unlockable weapons and most of all they took out all of my favorite fighters Taki, Kilik, Seong-Mina, Xianghua etc.


-Best OST:

Dear Esther
Mostly based on it's brilliant main theme but the entire soundtrack is extremely haunting.
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[Tuffty]

Most Disappointing Game - Mass Effect 3



Such a shame that it came to this, but considering the expectation level against what was delivered, there is no other contender for me. The worst gameplay in the series by far. Gone are the hubworlds, the ability to explore and to converse with other NPC's in different worlds, but the vast majority of the game has been stripped down to this linear corridor shooter fest, taking it's Gears of War inspiration maybe a little too far. Even on it's own merits, ME3 is at best a merely compotent action game. The vast majority of the side quests are fetch quests which ultimately aren't very rewarding. Even huge story revelations and characters are hidden away by DLC and with an unsatisfying conclusion (which has been retconned twice, btw) to this epic story that took years in the making. The ending isn't even the worst part of it, after you consider the fact that the choices you make, both in ME3 and in the prequels that carry over, ultimately doesn't change that much. The 20+ hrs it took to reach the ending is the biggest disappointment of all and I was bored of it before the ending even reached me.

I loved the first 2 games, both helped to create a sci-fi setting worth getting excited about just for these games. Then the last game in the trilogy just messed it up so badly. There are some very good story moments in there, on par with anything the series has yet to offer but they're few and far between. I wasn't angry with it like a lot of others were, just disappointed.

[john_hung]

top 2:

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier

i'm really happy with this game. the campaign in my opinion was really interesting, gave you a lot of cool little gadgets to use (the little drone copter thing also turned into a little rc car that allowed you to use it in a lot of different situations), and the gunsmith feature is really cool and fun to just mess around with. the guerrilla mode is really fun to play, and gives players a reason to keep playing the game beyond the campaign if they don't want to play online. awesome shooter

Forza Horizon

if you can get past the cheesey voice acting and just plain turn off the music (while they have actual licensed 'real' music, the library is limited so the same songs get repeated over and over and over - I suggest turning off the music from the options and playing your own music from another source if possible), the driving is really fun. it's noticeably more arcade-y feeling than the regular forza games which is a plus in this case, so once you get used to the game's racing mechanics it's a blast.  there's so many different races to keep you playing for quite a while. there's a lot of little challenges and stuff to do if you don't feel like doing any of the races (which include taking a picture of a particular car with a specific landmark in the background for example which is pretty cool imo), and they just came out with a rally dlc which is pretty fun (but pretty difficult) so there's still more content being  provided. my favorite racer of the year

 

[shirenuファクトリー]

^^ Hey Tuff (and others), would you say that when I reach the end of ME2 I should just pretend that's where the story ends? lol I mean you make it sound like it's barely the same game anymore + everyone says the ending sucks, so I'm just wondering... It's kind of sad for my main Shepard who has stayed loyal to Kaidan though, to never be reconnected... xD


I'd love to take more part in this thread but I think the only new game I played this year was Portal 2 (which was AAAAAAAAAAWEESOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME) and I'm not even sure it was released this year, LOL

[frblckstr1]

^^ Hey Tuff (and others), would you say that when I reach the end of ME2 I should just pretend that's where the story ends? lol I mean you make it sound like it's barely the same game anymore + everyone says the ending sucks, so I'm just wondering...

What you play in ME3 is towards the amount of help you get in fighting the battle on Earth and you might also have a different option fighting the 'Illusive Man'. It might also limit the options at the end on how you want to end the war.
What  people seem to get butt-hurt about is that non of the options let Shepard survive 'in the flesh'.

[shirenuファクトリー]

SPOILERIFIC But oh... I kind of like the idea of sacrificing my own character for the benefit of others... Dunno then.

[Amplifier]

Official Site
Steam
Wikipedia


I didn't play a whole lot of games this year, but FTL is amazing.

[Tuffty]

Shi: My thoughts on ME3 are fairly clear, but I would never discourage someone from actually playing it. Especially if they've played the first two games. As I mentioned, there are some genuinely good moments in ME3, some story arcs can get resolved nicely and things happen with certain characters that are genuinely touching and affecting. I would still suggest you play it, just know that if you want the best experience with the game, you'll need to download about 3 DLC packs which adds so much more info to the game. The fact that it wasn't all on-disc at launch, and that they ask you to pay for it, is genuinely quite insulting.

Portal 2 wasn't out this year, but if it was your favourite game, then how can you argue against it? That's a game I haven't played yet either, I really should get on that.

Speaking of games released last year:

2012's 2011 Game of the Year - Dark Souls



Make no mistake, if not for the fact that I wanted to recognise games being released this year only, Dark Souls would have easily walked it as the best game I've played this year. It's a game that is uncompromising, dark and bleak and just pours with atmosphere. Rarely do you play a game and feel so alone and helpless. But at the same time, for all of it's renowned difficulty (and it is difficult, believe me) it is never unfair and the game does just enough to help you out along the way. You will die, a lot, but it's surprisingly essential to how you approach the game. You learn from any mistakes you make and you want to keep playing. Any little bit your do in the game feels rewarding.  I think it's down to the fact that because the world feels so oppressive, so bleak and filled with this sense that everything is out to kill you, that it feels like an accomplishment for any bit of progress you do. Discovering a shortcut is as satisfying as defeating a boss. You know that as you explore the world, with every corner you take there'll always be something new to find, a new enemy to fight and there will always be that feeling of "shit, I've ventured too far, these enemies are way more powerful, I shouldn't be here but....the loot!".

I'm just amazed that for a game with so little direct story content stringing everything along, I'm still so gripped by it. I chalk it up very much to From Software's knack for atmosphere. They're graphics are, as far as I know, usually nothing all that advanced, but they still manage to make things look absolutely phenomenal because of the art design, detail effects and the sheer scope and scale of some of the environments. The game also has some of the best boss battles you will ever see.

I freaking love this game, so much so that I'm right back in it with New Game +, something I rarely do. It's not for everyone, I can see that, but if you like the idea behind it, I can't recommend it enough. Don't let the renowned difficulty put you off, it just takes a while to learn the mechanics of how to approach the game, but you will learn and soon you will be as hooked as I was. Dark Souls is not only the best game I've played this year, but quite possibly the best game to come out this generation.

[shirenuファクトリー]

Cheers! I guess I would then wait for whatever big sale was next, to get the game and DLCs all in one hit. Haaahh. I think there was already a decent sale during Black Friday, maybe.

Hopefully I'll have more games to review at the end of 2013, since I'm getting a new gaming computer

[TeriyakiBoi]

Most Disappointing Game - Mass Effect 3



Such a shame that it came to this, but considering the expectation level against what was delivered, there is no other contender for me. The worst gameplay in the series by far. Gone are the hubworlds, the ability to explore and to converse with other NPC's in different worlds, but the vast majority of the game has been stripped down to this linear corridor shooter fest, taking it's Gears of War inspiration maybe a little too far. Even on it's own merits, ME3 is at best a merely compotent action game. The vast majority of the side quests are fetch quests which ultimately aren't very rewarding. Even huge story revelations and characters are hidden away by DLC and with an unsatisfying conclusion (which has been retconned twice, btw) to this epic story that took years in the making. The ending isn't even the worst part of it, after you consider the fact that the choices you make, both in ME3 and in the prequels that carry over, ultimately doesn't change that much. The 20+ hrs it took to reach the ending is the biggest disappointment of all and I was bored of it before the ending even reached me.

I loved the first 2 games, both helped to create a sci-fi setting worth getting excited about just for these games. Then the last game in the trilogy just messed it up so badly. There are some very good story moments in there, on par with anything the series has yet to offer but they're few and far between. I wasn't angry with it like a lot of others were, just disappointed.

The SP story didn't disappoint me as much as the MP mode.  Yeah the ending (or endings) sucked and were a really bad way to "close out" Shepard's journey.  Also, Diana Allers felt like a wasted addition.  Sure she's a romance option but that's about it.  I really wished we could punch her in the face or something.  Other than that, MP is more of the bane of this game.  In a few more months, we'll be coming to the 1-year anniversary of when this game was released and there's still technical and gameplay issues galore in MP.  Quite frankly, I can't bring myself to spend any money on the SP DLC and tear myself away from the clusterfuck that is the ME3 MP.  I'm actually starting to spend money on Steam games instead (I buy the Steam Wallet cards).

[Tuffty]

Tuffty's 2012 GOTY If He Only Finished It Sooner - The Walking Dead



I finished playing this last night and I'll be honest, I was an emotional wreck by the end. I guess that is the impact of playing Episodes 3-5 back to back. The Walking Dead game is getting lots of plaudits and game of the year awards by journalists and players alike and it deserves them. It's not really a point and click adventure, not to me. They had some minor puzzles in the first episode but they were stripped out completely from the subsequent episodes as they didn't really fit. To even say it is a "game" is maybe pushing it.

The gameplay itself is fine and generally unobtrusive. Rather, what makes The Walking Dead so special is in it's story and the characters within in it. The developers did a fantastic job in creating some really tragic drama in this dark backdrop. In Lee and Clementine, the primary protaganists, they've created characters I genuinely felt empathetic with. For me, Clementine is the first example of a game character that I truly cared for and wanted to protect. The main draw to playing the game as well are the choices you have to make. There are no clear paragon or renegade options to pick, every choice is horrible. It's also fascinating to see how the story unfolds based on the choices you make. Characters will remember things you've told them, whether you were honest or lying and that has an impact on they react to you as events unfold. Life and death choices must be made within this horrible setting and the consequences of this actions are felt as well. The characters are so well realised that your opinion of them can and will change over the course of the game. Just like in real life too, events unfold that are just out of your control and you must live through those as well.

But make no mistake though, The Walking Dead is a story telling experience you absolutely must play. Even if you're not a fan of the comics/TV show I would still encourage you to play it. The story is just so good, easily one of the best I've ever seen in a video game and I'm glad, because it shows how affective video games as a medium can be. I would even go so far as to say the game is better than the TV show. At the end of it all, it's a story which had moved me to the point of tears on several occassions, something which games and other mediums rarely do. It's out for 360/PS3/Steam/iPad/iPhone. Please play it.