Top 10 Games of 2012

[Alyxx Thorne]

2012 has been a great year for gaming with several great titles coming out. What were your favourites?

 

Either way here's my top 10 games of 2012.

 

10:

 

While it barely makes the list for a lot of reasons, mainly because it's a very easy game and relatively short, The Darkness II was a blast from start to finish. The feeling you get of being a total badass, all the quirky and interesting NPC's you build a connection to and not to mention, the search for your dead girlfriend, all wrapped up in an epic story of light versus dark, makes the game an unforgettable journey. The multiplayer is also fun if you're into L4D-style co-op and each character feels well thought out and interesting. The comic book style also makes the game stay true to its source material.

 

9:

 

I love arcady racers and Ridge Racer Unbounded is one of the best I've played in that genre. The main gimmick here is that you can pretty much destroy parts of the course to gain extra points. You also get points for ramming into enemy vehicles and performing takedowns Burnout-style. With awesome graphics and a really good soundtrack, this is definitely my favourite racing game of 2012.

 

8:

 

Terrible ending aside, Mass Effect 3 is in my opinion a pretty good third person shooter with a lot of cool RPG elements and it feels like it takes elements from both ME1 and ME2 and brings them together in a good way. I really enjoyed the weapon customization they brought back and the dialogue feels a lot more natural in this game as characters are more active and don't just stand there talking for several minutes. Here they actually move and they feel more like people, making the conversations more engaging as a result. I also really liked the multiplayer, it makes for some frantic co-op action at times.

 

7:

 

Blacklight Retribution is honestly one of the best free-to-play games I've played. It offers graphics and gameplay that both rivals and surpasses the Call of Duty games and the try-before-you-buy model in the game lets you find your favourite loadout before spending money on anything. I'm also a total sucker for the cyberpunk feel of the game and the visor which reveals enemy positions more or less eliminates camping issues. A fun and enjoyable multiplayer shooter that offers a lot for very little to no cash at all and a viable alternative if you want a good modern FPS experience but don't wanna spend 60 bucks on the latest Call of Duty game.

 

6:

 

The Doom games remain some of the best FPS's ever made in my opinion and Doom 3 BFG Edition brings all 3 of them together in one rock solid package. Being the hardcore id-whore I am, this was a must-have this year and I am not disappointed. With Steam achievements, widescreen support up to 1080p, 3D support, a shoulder-mounted flashlight that makes the game suitably action-oriented as I always wanted it, a brand new third mission for Doom 3, and ultra-smooth gameplay at 120fps, Doom 3 BFG Edition to me is THE ultimate edition of Doom 1, Doom 2 and Doom 3.

 

5:

 

When I heard that a remake of Giana Sisters was coming out, I was pretty skeptical. Giana Sisters is one of my favourite 8bit titles and probably one of the most popular Commodore 64 games in existence and a cult classic among a lot of people. Though after having played Twisted Dreams, I can easily say that this is actually an improvement. The controls are really tight, like they should be in any platformer, the graphics are really cartoony and colourful and feel reminiscent of classics like Rayman at times, and the music are mostly rearrangements of the original Giana tracks, performed by the always awesome Machinae Supremacy. The main reason I really recommend Twisted Dreams is because it truly feels like a Giana game and not just a Mario ripoff.

 

4:

 

Let's face it, MW3 might have been a good game (at least it was in my opinion since it was my first CoD game) but it's obvious the series was beginning to stagnate. One of the most common complaints I hear about CoD is that none of the games stand out enough and don't feel engaging enough. This is where Black Ops II gets things right. Black Ops II I think might be the best CoD game because it takes everything that was bad about MW3 and just improves it. The single player campaign feels engaging because it focuses on making the characters memorable and having a more engaging story than MW3 ever did. Of course you still go from set piece to set piece, but the set pieces here are definitely more awesome than they were in earlier games, mostly because the game has a new setting, taking place in the near future and if you've ever wanted to fire a missile launcher while riding horseback, this is the game for you. Another thing they did with the story was giving you multiple choices at several points, adding actual replay value to the campaign as each campaign has a possibility of being really different from the previous one!

The zombie mode is also a really fun mode where survival is the key to unlocking new guns and various rewards that make fun and interesting changes to the gameplay. The zombies actually feel rather threatening and the mode is pretty challenging and will take serious teamplay to be completed.

The multiplayer also has received a much needed upgrade. The killstreaks have been replaced by scorestreaks, giving supportive players a bigger chance to contribute as the rewards are no longer based on the amount of kills you have, but how big your score is and it definitely makes the game a heck of a lot more balanced. The class creation system has been entirely revamped and you now have a "10 slots" system that allows for almost complete customization and you can make a class that fits YOUR playstyle to an even greater degree than MW3 offered. The maps are also much better designed and I think they did a splendid job with the graphics.

The major difference here is that MW3 looked like shit mixed with dust, and Black Ops II actually looks more realistic because it has more colour. Add the option to make your own emblems, the League play which lets you play against people in your skill range, and you have easily the best Call of Duty ever!

 

3:

 

Syndicate is a FPS set in the near future where the world is no longer divided into countries, but rather huge corporations known as syndicates rule the world. In the single player campaign you play as Miles Kilo, an agent for EuroCorp who uncovers corruption and conspiracy within his own syndicate. The game's main gimmick is that in the future nearly everyone are implanted with computer chips. As an agent you have the power to hack into these chips and you can pretty much force people to commit suicide and you can also use this hacking ability to dominate computer systems etc. The chip also gives you an overlay that highlights enemies and volatile objects. It makes for a very fun and engaging FPS that has a very strong cyberpunk aesthetic and the cool factor is pretty much through the roof. The single player campaign is pretty short though and feels like it doesn't offer enough replay value. The game could really benefit from a New Game + option. The multiplayer is pretty fun and engaging though and at times really challenging, and highly recommended. Also helps that the first bossfight has background music by Skrillex. Definitely one of my favourite games this year as I am a complete sucker for cyberpunk games, and I was definitely eager to play Syndicate as a FPS, and I can't help but feel Syndicate is terribly underrated. We can has sequel, EA?

 

2:

 

I'll say it right now, I'm a sucker for humor in games. A lot of the time it can really help a game stand out from the crowd as most games today take themselves way too seriously. It's this reason Borderlands 2 is a fresh breath of filthy air and it's really a unique experience that has to be played to be understood. Borderlands 2 takes everything that made the original so great and improves upon it to the f*cketh (that's a word now) degree. Also helps that the characters are really memorable, especially Handsome Jack, who I'd say is one of the most memorable villains as of recently. His constant taunting and teasing makes him a villain you get to dislike from early on in the game and when you finally get to take him on, the satisfaction is incredible. And guns. SOOOO MANY GUNS! There are really just two words that conjure up how I feel about Borderlands 2: Awesome and badass!

 

1:

 

F*ck Skyrim. If I want a huge open-world first person RPG with animals to hunt an items to craft, I'll play me some Far Cry 3, thank you very much. While I haven't completed this game yet, mostly because I spend far too much time running over animals with my car and putting pirates on fire with a flamethrower, this is easily my favourite game of 2012 already. There is just an insane amount of content here and so much fun to be had, and it's probably the most addictive game I've played lately. The multiplayer is also really well made, although it can be a bit glitchy at times. It's fun when it works though. The co-op missions are also really fun and add a side story to the game rather than just sending you from objective to objective. Add a very good single player story where you actually care about the characters, and lush graphics and you have probably not only the best FPS, but easily the best GAME of 2012 on your hands.

[Thadeus]

My Games of the Year 2012:

 

10.

X-Com Enemy Unknown

This game makes the list as it is a honestly challenging and fun strategy game, the first game of the genre ive felt that about in a good while, it has its flaws of course, which is why it doesn’t strike a higher point on my list.

 

9.

Mass effect 3

While I am one of the ones that don't like the ending to the trilogy, I do enjoy the game itself for the most part. It does have a few things that bug me, which is why its this low on my list, to me I enjoyed the RPG parts of mass effect 1, which they went more and more away from with the future installments, but as action games i like them.

 

8.

Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 2 is on this list for the quite simple fact that its a example of a MMORPG done right, a massive world, incentive and encouragements to explore the world, dynamic quests that you can do with anyone that are in the area and a interesting personal story where it feels like you actually make a difference, as opposed to games like WoW where your character doesn’t feel like it matters in the story, it could have been exchanged for any other character running around.

 

7.Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

CoD:BOPS2 is quite frankly one of the best CoD games to date in my opinion, the game has a fun story mode and FOR ONCE THE MULTIPLAYER IS FUN! It's a miracle!

 

6.

Pokemon Black 2/White 2

Me being a pokemon fan, it's obvious this would make my list, and while I haven't gotten far in the game overall, I love that the games are filled with more personality and story now in the last few sets of games, you actually see how characters evolve and change over the time between B/W and B2/W2.

 

5.

Far Cry 3

I was very skeptical to this game before I saw my friend Alyxx play it in person, which made me make up my mind that it seemed interesting and I love it, it's only been out for a short while, but it is still good enough for me to feel it deserves a spot here on the list. There are simply so much content you get when you buy it.

 

4.

Okami HD

Okay, if you know me at all you would know this game would make an appearance, but I don’t feel it's right of me to put a higher spot as its a remake, but a extremely glorious remake as it makes the unique graphics even more magnificent.

 

3.

Paper Mario Sticker Star

One of the original releases for the 3DS that I have really fallen for, I really love the humor and the combat is new and challenging, with more of a item management aspect then RPG.

 

2.

Borderlands 2

Man I love this game, and the flow of DLC means the game constantly has new content, new guns, new enemies and new hilarious dialog to make you fall out of your chair laughing. This is truly a hilarious and challenging game, not to mention a 100% cooperative campaign makes it so you can enjoy the entire game with a friend (or three).

 

1.

Journey

Once again, if you know me you should be able to predict this making this spot, Journey is a game that truly touched me somewhere I didn’t expect games to be able to, it made me feel excited, touched, sad and everything in-between. The coop is integrated ingeniously in that you don’t know when you have someone else joining you, you cant communicate with the person, but somehow the presence of someone else makes you feel safe and you start caring for the other person, showing each other where to find hidden things and such, and making the journey together is one of the most powerful feelings I've felt in gaming, before we separate seeing the other draw a heart in the snow with their feet is such a amazing feeling i struggle to describe how it felt.

Without a doubt, Journey is my GoTY, no contest.

Edited December 15, 2012 by Guest (see edit history)

[Alyxx Thorne]

Solid list, Thaddy.

[scott155]

DISHONORED. Unfortunately, due to limits on free-time and money, I haven't been able to play a lot of the other great games of 2012, but I was able to get Dishonored, and it's awesome. The individual parts have been done before, Bone Charms are just boosts, Runes are basically Praxis Points (Which makes sense, since one of the people working on it also worked on Deus Ex), and magical powers, assassinating, stealth, etc. have all been done to death, but the way Dishonored combines them is just fantastic. Graphically, the art-style works well with the victorian whale-punk style. The story is also interesting as is the way it is told. It's all around a great game, but if you don't take the time to enjoy it, it'll seem very short.

 

The only place I really felt Dishonored dropped the ball was lack of New-Game Plus. This game would vastly benefit from that, especially since it's deliberately design to make it impossible to get all the powers in one play through.

[Alyxx Thorne]

Yeah, Syndicate has the same problem.

[scott155]

Dishonored also suffers from the fact that killing is somewhat discouraged, but also really goddamn fun. Like using Bend Time and Possess to make people shoot themselves.

[Bjossi]

Being a very hardcore id Software fan, Doom 3 BFG Edition is to me the best way to experience Doom 3.

 

As a hardcore iD Software fan this opinion perplexes me. They basically made an already easy game even easier by needlessly adding more ammo to the levels and ditched the darkness as a factor of making fights more challenging. I was already strolling through a park on Nightmare difficulty and hitting max ammo on all my guns as early as the Alpha Labs. The game's balance was on the edge as it was, they not only pushed it down the cliff but made a giant rock fall down and crush it for good measure. I don't consider myself an abnormally good player but I get the feeling I really am if they felt these changes were a good idea.

 

And I never really understood the darkness being such a problem. Maybe for me as a night-blind gamer I picked up a lot of tricks that edge me past other people in finding and fighting my way in darkness? I hardly ever needed to use the flashlight during combat, I used it mostly for exploration and item hunting.

 

The iD Software I loved died after Doom 3's release in 2004. The expansion was great as well but it wasn't made by them for the most part.

[Alyxx Thorne]

Guess we're just different people then, because I think the BFG Edition is a lot more fun to play. It fixed a lot of problems I had with the original Doom 3, which I actually never finished due to these problems. Now I can imagine myself actually finishing the game AND the expansion AND the third mission.

[Bjossi]

Why didn't you just mod the original Doom 3 at the time then? There were plenty of gun flashlight mods just weeks after the game's release.

[Alyxx Thorne]

I found one but it was too limited and I'm not the kind of person who mods a game to hell. I try to enjoy the vanilla game.

 

It's the reason I really dislike Fallout 3. It's not fun unless you add a shit ton of mods, all of them make the game more unstable and none of them add anything.

 

Either way, I think Doom 3 BFG Edition is a great release and I stand by putting it on my list.

[BTGBullseye]

Planetside 2

 

 

Almost a cross between Battlefield, Tribes Ascend, and Halo, with just a bit of CoD.

A persistent MMOFPS with several classes, some slight balance issues, but nothing major.

 

 

Borderlands 2

 

 

My pick for GOTY 2012. An epic sequel to an epic game. Play it if you haven't.

 

 

Torchlight 2

 

 

A sequel that seems to fix most, if not all of the issues that I had with the original Torchlight. 4 classes, multiple pets, and gameplay that got started with the Fate series.

 

 

Hawken

 

 

If they either decrease prices, or increase the money you get per-round, then it'll be one of the best, and most immersive “mech” gameplay I've ever experienced. MMOFPS Mech awesomeness! (no destructible physics objects though)

 

 

Tribes Ascend

 

 

A decent followup from Tribes 2, though the prices for items are just a tad high. If you ever hear someone say that paying to get items without earning them doesn't give much of an advantage, slap them for me please.

 

 

Mechwarrior Online

 

 

I have yet to actually play this game, but from everything I've seen and heard about it, it'll be the best of the entire series of Mechwarrior video games.

 

 

Assassin's Creed 3

 

 

The last of the series, (maybe) concerns the end of the world. It gets rid of most of the frustrations that people had with previous games, but also adds a couple frustrations of it's own.

 

 

Closure

 

 

Featured in the Humble Indie Bundle 7, it's all about light and dark. The world only exists in the light, so don't walk in the shadows.

 

 

Carrier Command Gaea Mission

 

 

A new way of playing strategy games, and a very fun one at that. (when it doesn't bug out on you)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The reason I only have 9, and not 10 is because there was a game that one of my friends was going to make and release, but he ended up in an accident, and died. The 10th slot is reserved for him and his would've-been-awesome game.

[The Hamburglar]

well i'll do a top 5 at least

 

5: SONIC ADVENTURE 2 HD

gotta go fast! a fast paced sequel to the original Sonic Adventure, originally released for Dreamcast, this game has tight controls and great HD quality. a must have if you're a fan of great platforming and sonic games!

 

4: SONIC ADVENTURE 2 HD

Pick it up! Compared to the PC Port of SA1's shoddy resolution SA2 HD looks incredible and plays great to boot. You cannot miss out on this gem!

 

3: SONIC ADVENTURE 2 HD

If you love gripping fast paced stories you're gonna love Sonic Adventure 2! Raising the bar from SA1's silly dialogue and shoddy voice acting, SA2 will keep you on the edge of your seat to see what Sonic and the gang get into next!

 

2: SONIC ADVENTURE 2 HD

If you love RADICAL soundtracks this game will have you tapping your foot like mad! These jams are absolutely contagious!

 

1: SONIC ADVENTURE 2 HD

Sonic's the name, speeds my game!

[scott155]

So, I take it you like sonic.

[Alyxx Thorne]

I have a slight hunch he does.

 

The reason I only have 9, and not 10 is because there was a game that one of my friends was going to make and release, but he ended up in an accident, and died. The 10th slot is reserved for him and his would've-been-awesome game.

That's a pretty good reason to me.

[Humin]

I'm not buying any games until episode3/Half-Life 3 comes out.

So this will be permanently left blank.

[scott155]

I'm not buying any games until episode3/Half-Life 3 comes out.

So this will be permanently left blank.

Well, that's one way to save money.

[The Hamburglar]

okay, to be honest i didn't play too many games this year because jesus this was a bad year for video games.

 

my favorite games released this year were Hotline Miami, Katawa Shoujo, Sonic Adventure 2 HD, and Far Cry 3. That's about it.

 

my personal game of the year would be Hotline Miami or Katawa Shoujo though.

[Alyxx Thorne]

I wouldn't call it a bad year when I could still make a top 10 list of the games I played.

[Kirkreng]

Although I haven't played Hotline Miami, the soundtrack is super awesomely great.

 

Edit: Alyxx, yarr Pirate Ninja

[Alyxx Thorne]

My list has been revised.